Disaster management teams have been deployed across several parts of KwaZulu-Natal following severe flooding that has left widespread destruction in both inland and coastal areas, the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has confirmed.

Heavy rain and violent storms battered the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on Friday, with eMadlangeni, Dannhauser and Newcastle emerging as the worst-affected municipalities, according to the state broadcaster SABC. The department said key infrastructure, including roads and health facilities, sustained significant damage.

COGTA spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila said emergency teams were already on the ground, working alongside community structures to assist affected residents.

“Our teams are on the ground,” Mzila said, adding that MEC for COGTA, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, had activated disaster response mechanisms across the province. “They are working together with our social partners, NGOs and local communities to assist those who have been affected to rebuild their lives.”

‘Storms followed hailstones’

Initial assessments paint a grim picture. “Over 150 houses have been severely damaged, and more than 50 have been completely destroyed,” Mzila said.

He noted that the storms were accompanied by large hailstones. “There was golf ball-sized hail in some of these areas. Communities are traumatised, but we are doing the best we can to support them and ensure they receive all the relief they need.”

Meanwhile, disaster teams have also been deployed to the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality after flash floods struck the KwaZulu-Natal south coast over the weekend. Torrential rainfall began at around 4:30pm on Sunday, December 21, triggering flooding along the coastal belt from Margate through Oslo Beach to Port Shepstone.

The department said the floods caused extensive damage to roads, commercial properties and shopping centres, including the Shelly Centre. Several roads remain blocked by fallen trees, while sinkholes have formed in multiple areas — particularly in Manaba — raising serious concerns about road safety.

Despite the scale of the damage, COGTA confirmed that no fatalities or injuries have been reported so far. Assessments of public and private infrastructure are continuing as emergency teams work to stabilise affected areas and provide relief to displaced residents.