THE Gobandlovu community, uMhlathuze Municipality Ward 14, was woken by a wave of water gushing into their homes on Friday morning.
About seven homes were drenched by water from a burst water pipe that damaged household appliances and other items.
When the Zululand Observer arrived at the scene, fridges, stoves, wardrobes, cupboards, clothes and many other items were stacked in the yards, where the people sat forlornly, feeling a bit overwhelmed by being woken up by such a calamity.
‘About 3.30am, when we woke up to prepare for school and work, we heard a noise of gushing water outside our house and, at first we thought it was rain, but when the power went off and water began seeping under the doors, we knew there was a burst water pipe,’ lamented Nomusa Vilakazi, whose garden was scattered with an assortment of items.
One young woman, who is doing matric at the local Matamzana High School, said all her school books were damaged in the flood. Her mother, Thembani Seme, said, ‘I don’t even know what I am going to say to the school as some of the damaged books are government-loaned books, therefore we will be made to repay them.’
Some of the mamas whose vegetable gardens were flooded, said they had toiled all winter and now this flood of water had destroyed all their hard work.
What the authorities say?
Ward 14 committee member, Khulekani Mhlongo, told the Zululand Observer that he began calling the local councilor, Mduduzi Khumalo, from 4am, but the councilor only arrived at 9am, saying he saw the missed calls on his cellphone, but was busy at a meeting.
When asked for comment, Khumalo simply said, ‘The municipal engineers are working on the problem.’ And when asked if the people whose properties were damaged would receive compensation, he said, ‘I have communicated with the relevant department at uMhlathuze about this matter, so only they can decide what to do to help these people.’
