How a KZN South Coast community organisation is cleaning up after devastating floods rock Margate

• KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast residents came together to mop up the trail of debris caused by recent storms
• The community project, Tidy Town, spearheaded the clean-up of Margate Beach alongside local business people and volunteers
• The provincial government also joined in and assisted those affected by the storm and localised flooding

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

KZN South Coast’s business people and volunteers mop up Margate Beach following a destructive storm. Images: Tidy Towns Shelly to Margate Source: Facebook

Community members and Tidy Town volunteers have come together to clean up Margate Beach on the South Coast.

Mop-up operations continue

The area was devastated by destructive thunderstorms, which damaged buildings and roadways and left a trail of debris across the coast.

Five people reportedly lost their lives due to the bad weather. Three people died when their car got washed off a bridge on 14 April 2024. One person was struck by lightning, and another fell off a roof.

Tidy Town’s Stephen Herbst told SABC News that local business people and residents came together to clean up the towns along the South Coast.

“ It’s in our best interests to get this place up and running and invite tourism back to the area. It’s the lifeblood of this area, Margate is the Eiffel Tower of the South Coast.”

Conversely, KwaZulu-Natal provincial disaster management teams also began clean-up operations in Margate on 16 April 2024.

Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube told The Witness that the government took immediate action to help those affected by the flooding.

“The government is committed to helping communities rebuild their lives and livelihoods with speed”

Dube-Ncube also appealed for solidarity and support from all sectors of society.

Citizens praise the volunteers

Netizens across the South Coast commended the community members who cleaned the area.

Madelein Stopforth said:

“Some people talk……. some people do ”

Carla Cronje-Steenkamp added:

“Margate shining like a diamond again. Proud to be a South-Coaster. No matter what happens, support and care is always on our doorstep.”

Maria Van Vuuren commented:

“Unbelievable what you doing, keep it up so proud of you all involved ”

Jan Oosthuizen stated:

“A huge Thank you to All the volunteers.”

Hester Day sympathised:

“I am so sorry for what you all have gone through. It is amazing to see a community come together like this. Well done.”

High Temperatures caused by global warming

Briefly News reported that the world’s weather in late 2023 was hotter than the mid-1800s. The phenomenon was attributed to greenhouse gas emissions.

The University of Cape Town’s Climate Risk Lab Director, Dr Christopher Tristos, said South Africa is ranked in the top 20 for greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

This means the country played a massive part in the climate change the globe is experiencing.