In photos: Homes destroyed in KZN storm

The recent storm damage reported in your area is a reminder that the climate crisis is already a lived reality for poor rural communities. These households have contributed least to the emissions driving global heating, yet they face the harshest “loss and damage” when storms, floods and high winds destroy fragile homes and livelihoods. The article notes that a severe weather warning was issued and that further heavy storms are expected through the festive season.

Emergency relief must therefore be paired with timely risk information, organised evacuation, and practical adaptation. When severe warnings are issued, the municipality should activate a clear early-warning protocol that reaches everyone: locally trusted communication channels, real-time updates, and community-level coordination with traditional leadership and ward structures. Evacuation should not be ad hoc. High-risk zones must be mapped in advance, safe shelters must be identified and equipped, and transport arrangements must be ready so that families can relocate before roofs lift and rivers rise.

Climate resilience also requires long-term measures: strengthening housing against wind and heavy rain, upgrading drainage and stormwater pathways, maintaining culverts and access roads, protecting wetlands and river buffers, and integrating climate-risk planning into the IDP, disaster management plans, and infrastructure budgets. Relief provided to the most affected households is welcome, but preparedness and resilience must cover the whole community, not only those already in crisis.

I call on the municipality, provincial disaster management, and civil society partners to act together—mobilising emergency materials now, while also building the systems that prevent avoidable harm. Community support, including assistance so families can still celebrate weddings and give children small Christmas gifts, can restore dignity—but government must lead with planning, coordination and accountability.