This week’s storms cut a devastating path through KZN people’s lives. It is the not the first time, nor will it be the last. Immediate action ‒ by everyone ‒ is required to mitigate the effects of climate change. Picture: Tumi Pakkies/ Independent Newspapers
Durban — Another natural disaster and, in typical South African fashion, several individuals and organisations have stepped up to help those affected.
Insurance companies too have responded with alacrity, and those with the means for cover will soon have their homes repaired and belongings replaced.
However, many others are not so fortunate. Aside from the loss of life, they have lost their homes and everything inside.
In some instances, this is the second such loss in two years, a woman telling a television station they would have to rebuild their lives again after suffering similar losses in the catastrophic 2022 floods.
Scientists concur that the severity and occurrence of flooding events in KwaZulu-Natal are both increasing, with the frequency of floods doubling over the past century.
The KZN floods, and similar events in the Western and Eastern Cape, are tragic reminders of the existential climate crisis facing humanity, a crisis driven by the burning of fossil fuels.
Saving for another day the debate over how clean some renewable energy solutions are, it is clear that urgent change is required to mitigate the effects of climate change, and minimise the impact on vulnerable communities.
Professor Stefan Grab from Wits University says it is not just KZN that should prepare for bigger rainfall events, but all South African cities and towns.
The new government, whose form is still awaited, should therefore place the climate at the forefront of its agenda.
While phasing out fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy are longer-term items, there are certain actions the government can take which will immediately reduce the impact of heavy rainfall.
These include repairing the crumbling infrastructure, especially the drainage systems which can currently barely handle a drizzle, and ensuring that buildings are resilient and not built in flood-prone areas.
Individual South Africans should examine their own climate-impacting behaviours too, such as littering and choice of single-use plastics.
Independent on Saturday