KZN Gogta says it has contingency plans for winter
During the winter season last year, 34 people died as a result of wildfires in parts of the province.
The Cooperative Governance Department in KwaZulu-Natal has warned residents to stay indoors over the next few days. Picture: @_ArriveAlive/ X
DURBAN - The KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance Department says it has contingency plans in place to respond and curb any weather-related incidents over winter.
The province has, in recent years, experienced a serious disaster after heavy rains led to deadly floods.
During the winter season last year, 34 people died as a result of wildfires in parts of the province.
The department says its new safety plans are based on past experiences.
With the winter season approaching, people, especially in rural areas, often use fires for heating and cooking.
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But the use of open fires has resulted in disasters with homes burning to the ground and, in some cases, causing loss of life.
Wildfires, some caused by unknown and identified sources, have also caused great disasters like destroying homes, farms and claiming livestock.
KZN Cooperative Governance MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi says they want to prevent such incidents this time around.
“One of the key components of this plan is the proactive risk assessments where we continuously identify high-risk areas susceptible to various winter disasters, including floods, heavy snowfall, wildfires and extreme cold.”
The MEC adds that there is an ongoing training for disaster teams in this regard.