Durban — The flood risk in the South Durban Basin (SDB) that’s threatening the economic stability of eThekwini Municipality and South Africa requires R235 million to fix.
The local human settlements/engineering unit has requested funding from the municipality to reduce the risk of flooding of large-scale industries such as Toyota and its supporting industries – Mondi, Sapref, SAB, Defy, Croxley Carpets and others – to keep the businesses operating, along with their investment and job creation.
The October 2017 and April 2022 storms highlighted the high flood risk in the SDB region.
The unit’s report was put on the City’s executive committee (Exco) agenda for discussion.
It underlined the devastating impact of floods on the businesses in the SDB, with insurance for vulnerable companies such as Toyota, Mondi etc, also being at risk.
The report stated that the possibility of a company like Mondi or Toyota being uninsurable would mean “at best no further investment in the company or worst case that the company relocates away from the site.”
The unit is also concerned about the possible relocation of these companies out of eThekwini or the country with all the associated job losses both directly and within their support industries.
The report stated that the only way to ensure the on-going investment and presence of these industries in eThekwini was by reducing the risk sufficiently to ensure that they remain insurable.
“The only way to ensure this is for mitigation measures to be implemented. These include measures funded by eThekwini, provincial and national government,” the unit said.
It was trying to source funding of R92 million for 2023/2024; R118 million for 2024/2025 and R25 million for the 2025/2026 financial years.
The unit is upgrading the CIark Road Sea Outfall and Culvert for an estimated R45 million per annum, the Prospecton Road Canal/Road Upgrade for an estimated R130 million and attenuation dams for an estimated R15 million.
Other proposed plans with other departments include the upgrade of the Umlaas Canal and Diversion Berm and the management of Shongweni Dam as a mitigation measure against flooding.
Daily News