Media Statement
17 January 2022
UTHUKELA DISTRICT PREMISES FLOODED AND INACCESSIBLE
The premises of Uthukela District Municipality are currently inaccessible due to high levels of water that have flooded our ground level offices. Our Disaster Management Services are responding to call-outs. Action taken includes pumping water out of affected homes, evacuation and providing sandbags.
Heavy downpours that have been experienced in the past few days are attributed to flash floods in most parts of Alfred Duma Local Municipality. In the Ladysmith town, many businesses situated in lower lying areas and parts of CBD including the Uthukela District Municipality have been severely hit by the floods.
Uthukela District leadership which includes the Mayor Cllr Inkosi NB Shabalala, Deputy Mayor Cllr MH Shange, Speaker Cllr TY Nqubuka, Municipal Manager Mr MM Sithole and senior managers came to assess the impact of the flash floods. The Municipal Manager, through the advise by our Municipal Health unit, has urged all staff members not to open offices due to the floors being wet after the offices were flooded.
He also requested colleagues to work from home and be accessible when required. Mr Sithole emphasized that this was not a holiday as all planned activities will continue as planned. The public is therefore notified that because of the floods, most of our services have been interrupted. Senior managers will convene an emergency meeting at the Uthukela District Development Agency's offices later this afternoon round about 16h00 to assess the impact of the current situation.
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Issued by: Jabulani Mkhonza
Communications Manager
Uthukela District Municipality
Cell: 072 175 5650
