The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Honourable Velenkosini Hlabisa, alongside the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Honourable Thami Ntuli, led an oversight visit today to the Impendle Local Municipality to assess the damage caused by the recent extreme weather conditions that left hundreds of residents displaced.

The visit comes in the wake of a Level 5 weather warning issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) from 9 to 10 June 2025. Impendle was among the most severely affected areas in the province, following heavy windstorms that tore through homes and community infrastructure.

A total of 140 households were affected, with 58 homes completely destroyed and 137 others partially damaged. Approximately 962 individuals were directly impacted, with 31 families currently displaced and relying on the support of relatives and neighbours for shelter.

The hardest-hit communities were located across five wards, including:

Ward 1: Nzinga

Ward 2: Mbaliyezwe, Nguga, Qutshini, Swampy

Ward 3: Madiphini, Brington, Come & See

Ward 4: KwaKhetha, Novuka, Nhlabamkho, Willow

Ward 5: Gomane, Mbhodlongo, Khamdeni

Disaster management teams from local, district and provincial structures have been deployed to the area. Relief efforts are underway, including the provision of temporary shelter, some of which is offered by community members, food parcels, and monetary vouchers for affected families.

Minister Hlabisa commended the swift coordination between spheres of government and called for long-term resilience measures. “What we are seeing here must push us to improve our response systems and build safer communities,” he said. “We must not only rebuild, but rebuild better.”

Premier Ntuli echoed the importance of proactive planning. “This disaster is a wake-up call. Our systems must be more resilient to protect lives and livelihoods,” he stated briefly.

The oversight delegation engaged with community members and disaster teams on the ground to ensure that immediate needs are met and that medium- to long-term recovery plans are well informed.

In addition to addressing the situation in Impendle, government leaders extended condolences to the families of two individuals who lost their lives in eThekwini due to recent storm-related incidents. Sympathies were also extended to the families of 12 people who tragically died in a road accident involving a bus and truck in KwaZulu-Natal during the same period.

This incident comes as the province continues to experience more frequent and severe weather patterns, attributed to the growing impact of climate change. As a result, the National Disaster Management Centre has been tasked with conducting thorough vulnerability assessments across the country to inform more targeted early warning systems, resilient infrastructure plans, and proactive community risk management.

Government has reiterated its commitment to support affected families, accelerate recovery, and invest in long-term adaptation to climate risks. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant, heed official alerts, and report hazards promptly to local authorities.

ENDS

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Issued jointly by the Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government and the Ministry of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs