The KwaZulu-Natal floods that have claimed more than 250 lives and destroyed infrastructure have raised questions around what exactly makes KwaZulu-Natal so prone to mudslides, infrastructure and environmental damage during heavy rains compared to the rest of the country. Government officials say this is the worst infrastructure damage the province has ever seen. Granted this is a natural disaster and there is nothing much that can be done to stop it, but can government plan better for disasters of this nature? We are now joined by Professor Christo Coetzee urban disaster risk specialist

Over 100 schools have been damaged by the floods in KZN. Over seven pupils and one teacher have drowned. The department says it is still being updated on the impact of these floods on schools. KwaZulu-Natal has been hit by torrential rains that have claimed 59 lives and displaced many. We are now joined by.  MEC Kwazi Mshengu

Trucks heading to KwaZulu-Natal have been urged to delay their trips as looters target stranded trucks before the Mariannhill Toll Plaza. The Road Freight Association has also warned that access roads around the Port of Durban have been damaged, with container yards, truck depots and trucks themselves caught in the flood damage. According to Sanral, several roads are still closed as many of them are still waterlogged.

Guest: Nomsa Modise, Project Manager, Road Incidents Management Systems @ SANRAL KZN

According to UN agencies, the threat of famine is very real in Somalia and South Sudan and urgent action is needed now to avoid a catastrophe. The alert from the World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) followed the latest food security assessments which showed that six million people in Somalia will face acute food insecurity in the coming months, unless the rains come.

Guest: Etienne Peterschmitt - Representative of UN Food and Agriculture Organization in Somalia

We’re continuing with a conversation we started yesterday on what constitutes a customary marriage. An article published over the weekend about media personality Pabi Moloi and her ex-partner’s dispute following the end of their relationship. According to media reports, Ruan Adams says he is entitled to half of Moloi’s estate as they were in a customary marriage after he paid lobola. We spoke to Cultural expert, Mkhulu Nsingisa yesterday and he said lobola alone does not constitute a marriage and some people disagreed with that. What does the law say? Let’s speak to a legal analyst Mpumelelo Zikalala

We continue to focus on the floods in KZN. We’re now joined by Bongeka Mjwara from Westridge in Durban who has been affected by the floods and we are also joined by Siyabonga Dlamini who has been assisting neighbours affected by the floods in Quarry Heights area, Durban. 

Bongeka Mjwara

Eskom load shedding update: Following their media briefing this morning, Eskom has warned that South Africans should brace themselves for at least 100 days of rolling blackouts during the coming winter months. Previously, the power utility projected that there would be 61 days of possible load shedding during winter, due to the parastatal’s ongoing maintenance programme, however - things have since changed. For more on this, we are joined by….

Guest: Lungile Mashele, Energy economist

The floods continue to wreak havoc in KwaZulu-Natal. Infrastructure has been damaged and more rains are expected. One of the areas affected by the floods are graveyards. Social media has been flooded by photographs of people’s remains that have been swept off by the water. But what are the cultural and spiritual implications of having people’s remains scattered all over the city? We’re now joined by Dr VVO Mkhize, Founder of Umsamo Institute

Emergency services have been working throughout the night and continue rescue operations in KwaZulu-Natal following heavy rains and flash floods that have claimed at least 20 lives and left many homeless. People have been urged to stay indoors and those living in low lying areas have been asked to seek alternative accommodation as more rain is expected. We are now joined by KZN’s Emergency Medical Services Spokesperson Robert McKenzie