By Umamah Bakharia 

Aid is streaming into KwaZulu-Natal with government and charity organisations pulling out all the stops to assist the victims of the floods.

Over 400 people died while thousands are left destitute after torrential rains led to mudslides and left infrastructure in ruins.

One of the civil society groups ‘We are South Africans’ has been assisting in providing relief to the destitute. Speaking to Radio Islam, the group’s Gilbert Martin says the spirit of the people of South Africa has been very strong in dealing with the relief of the KZN floods.

“The situation is dire and the destruction is extreme and I think this is worse than [the] 1984 when hurricane Domoina struck,” he says.

Martin says that various organisations and businesses have stepped up and donated blankets, mattresses and food etc.

Currently, 40 000 people are homeless while 13 000 homes have been destroyed.

“Families have lost everything, they don’t have homes,” he says.

Martin is urging South Africans to donate through organisations to assist those in need in KZN.

“We can have religious differences, racial and political differences, but this country pulls together, it’s the most amazing to observe,” says Martin.