The body of a matric learner from Tholulwazi High School, Nomzamo Dlamini, a matric pupil at Tholulwazi High School was believed to have drowned while crossing a low lying bridge. Her body was discovered in the Umngeni river on Saturday after she went missing on Thursday following the storm.
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A COUNCILLOR was almost thrown into the uMngeni River by livid members of the community when a body of a matric learner who drowned last week after heavy storms was discovered.
The storm ripped through many parts of KwaZulu-Natal, leaving destruction and flooding in its wake.
The councillor of eMolweni, west of Durban, Siyabonga Nala, was confronted by members of the community on Saturday at a bridge where Nomzama Dlamini, a learner from Tholulwazi High School, drowned while trying to cross the bridge.
Unsatisfied by Nala's explanations of why, for so many years, there have been no improvements in the infrastructure, some members of the community who were angry almost pushed Nala into the river.
The low-lying bridge from which she drowned has been an inconvenience for residents of Molweni who are forced to access areas like Wyebank, Clermont, New Germany, Kloof, and Pinetown via the long route of Waterfall because the bridge gets easily flooded after heavy rainfall.
Yesterday, (18 March 2025) members of the community took to the street to vent their frustration.
Londiwe Zulu, a resident, said since the 2022 floods they have been asking for the construction of the two low-lying bridges to be expedited.
"In 2022, two people drowned, and they've never been found because of the state of these bridges. We appealed to the councillor, but he kept making promises that the bridge would be improved, but funds for the construction have been released, yet nothing has happened.
"Because of the rise of similar incidents, we decided to have a protest to show our frustration with the conditions we are living under because the rain is persistent," said Zulu.
She said they'd like the mayor of eThekwini, Cyril Xaba, to come and hear their grievances and see for himself the condition of the bridges.
"Learners were supposed to go to school; some ended up not going because the level of water is still high and they are afraid due to the recent drowning incident," said Zulu.
Many learners from eKuthuleni and Zamokuhle who attend school in Molweni haven't gone to school since the floods.
Another member of the community who spoke on condition of anonymity said their cars were now parked across the river because they can't drive on Fannin Road over Umngeni River because of the low-lying bridge after heavy rainfall.
"The community were very angry when the body of the schoolgirl was discovered on Saturday, and some wanted to throw Nala into the river because he was incoherent and there's no truth in what he's telling the community when there are meetings," said the community member who asked for anonymity.
Attempts to get Nala's comments were unsuccessful as his phone rang unanswered.
However, on his social media account, Nala said he has visited the bereaved Dlamini family.
"Councillor Nala visited the family from Lower Molweni accompanied by the former councillor Simphiwe Mncubbe and members of the Area Committee of Lower Molweni to visit the Dlamini family whose child's body was discovered on the weekend after drowning.
"The councillor conveyed his condolences message to the family and also informed it of the eThekwini Municipality's plans to assist where necessary with funeral arrangements and expenses. The councillor is continuing to communicate with the eThekwini Municipality to expedite the assistance to avoid further disaster," read Nala's post.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika yesterday, Nala said the issue of the two bridges was not new, dated back to almost 10 years ago, and during the April 11, 2022 floods, the two bridges were washed away.
Yesterday, a body of a man was discovered in the Umngeni River by eThekwini Municipality Search and Rescue. The body was spotted by a fisherman.