Following the heavy rainfall and floods this past weekend, the KwaZulu-Natal department of education has urged parents to use their discretions to send their kids to school.

A number of roads and bridges have been washed away or collapsed. Other infrastructure was also damaged by the floods and over 200 people had been evacuated from their homes. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Education Head of Department Nkosinathi Ngcobo said parents need to be cautious and that they are aware that there are certain schools that learners may not be able to reach.

“Although the rain has stopped in some parts of KZN, we anticipate that the water levels on top of some bridges is still high for people to pass. This time around it is not as bad as it was in April, we haven’t received any reports that schools will be damaged, but of course, these reports will be sent today (Monday) to get a clear picture. The only report we have so far is that of roads that collapsed around schools. Majority of our schools will be functional ans only those few schools where roads collapsed again and learners may not be able to reach it,” said Nkosinathi Ngcobo

Several residents in Umdloti in the north of Durban have been left homeless. Part of block of flats in a complex in the area washed away. Heavy rainfall and mudslides led to the ground collapsing.