eThekwini Municipality on high alert following heavy rain and mudslides

The eThekwini Municipality has issued warnings and activated its Disaster Management Center following heavy rainfall across the metro and southern KwaZulu-Natal. The South African Weather Service issued a Level 4 Impact-Based Warning for disruptive rainfall, citing a combination of high-pressure and low-pressure systems.

In Tshelimnyama, near Pinetown, localized mudslides caused approximately three houses to collapse. While 14 residents were affected, authorities reported no fatalities, injuries, or entrapments. To mitigate flood risks, municipal teams opened the Isipingo Estuary mouth to relieve water build-up.

The inclement weather has also caused widespread power outages across Durban. The municipality’s Electricity and Energy Directorate is working to address a high volume of faults, though some areas face prolonged outages as repair teams navigate the weather conditions.