The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) urged the KwaZulu-Natal government to intensify its disaster preparedness plans, including recovery measures in order to minimise further devastation and loss of human life.
In a statement, the Commission's Pavershree Padayachee said its concerned by warnings of heavy rains in the upcoming weeks and urged government to ensure that rescue and recovery plans were in place.
More than 10 people lost their lives in a deadly flash flood in Ladysmith on Christmas Eve when a river bank along the Bellspruit collapsed.
Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said 21 bodies have been recovered so far.
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) on Sunday said disaster teams were on standby following a warning of disruptive rain in parts of KZN.
Cogta MEC, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, urged people to avoid travelling for prevent the further loss of life.
“We do not want to see more lives lost due to the weather. While New Year's Eve is a cause for celebration, let us prioritise safety,” she said.
“We encourage everyone to stay at home and ensure their surroundings are safe. For those attending festivals, please adhere to the safety measures that will be in place.”
The Commission said KZN is again affected by floods while still picking up the pieces from the April 2022 floods that claimed the lives of more than 400 people.
“The Commission again reiterates that lessons ought to be learnt from this recurring tragedy,” Padayachee said.
“Among others, greater attention should be directed to the concerns and effects of climate change and appropriate measures should be implemented timeously to minimise the devastating impact that has been plaguing the province.”
She said the Commission further reiterates that urgent attention and institutional responses must be drawn to the impact of climate change on human rights.
Related to this, an ‘all of society’ approach is required to effectively mitigate against the compounding service delivery and infrastructure challenges in local municipalities throughout the country and particularly in the KZN province.
IOL