IEC confident KZN floods won’t affect polls
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in KwaZulu-Natal says it has put measures in place to ensure voting materials are delivered to flood-ravaged areas in the province.
A severe storm hit KwaZulu-Natal on Easter weekend, killing at least 51 people and leaving many others injured or displaced.
Images and videos shared on social media show floating vehicles on roads, severely damaged residential homes and embankments were completely washed away.
ALSO READ: Pretoria woman nabbed for murder of niece (17)
Provincial IEC spokesperson Thabani Ngwira says the South African National Defence Force will assist the IEC in delivering the voting material on election day.
"I can confirm that the electoral commission in KwaZulu-Natal has taken all the precautionary measures to work on delivering material on election day should an event, like floods happen on that day.
"We are currently working with the SANDF who are part of the structures that will assist us in delivering material on election day.”
Meanwhile, Gift of The Givers is also assisting affected areas.
The relief organisation’s Imtiaz Sooliman says they have already deployed teams to various parts of the province.
"First thing in the morning (Tuesday) we hired a helicopter and fly over the affected to try and asses the area of mass destruction. While doing that we started getting calls from various areas, all people stating to what extent they have been affected but we needed to verify that.
"We then sent in teams to the different areas but it took a very long time because of the area being badly destroyed in terms of the roads, many areas we still haven't reached.
"Hopefully with the weather being better today (Wednesday) we could get to those areas.”