KZN officials urge parents to keep their children at home amid floods

Officials in KwaZulu-Natal have pleaded with parents in the province not to allow learners to go to school, if inclement weather persists.

The province’s Cogta MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi, said that they were concerned about the safety of communities, as heavy rains continue to in the province.

WEATHER ALERT LEVEL 5 issued for eThekwini and other 4 KZN areas: Ray Nkonyeni, Mkhambathini, UMzumbe and Umdoni LM. Take immediate action to ensure your safety. Stay indoors, avoid travel & follow evacuation instructions if necessary. #KZNCogta #WeatherAlert #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/VCJLRlnj2h

— KZNCOGTA (@kzncogta) March 2, 2025

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) also issued a Level 5 warning for disruptive rain and flooding.

MEC Buthelezi says, “The severe weather warnings are predicted due to heavy rainfall, which poses a significant risk of widespread flooding, particularly in areas where the ground is already saturated. We do plead with parents not to force their children to go to school, in these severe weather conditions where some children, as far as Ncotshane, in Uphongolo were swept away by the river, while trying to cross.

Flash floods reported in Ethekwini https://t.co/THdmlLQuNi#ArriveAlive #FlashFloods @ReactionUnitSA pic.twitter.com/xqx9naPAhS

— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) March 2, 2025

 KZN Floods I Residents urged to relocate to higher ground