Divers search for a missing person in the Durban area, April 20, 2022. GUILLEM SARTORIO / AFP
It is an unprecedented natural disaster. South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, whose largest city is Durban, is developing after being hit by inclement weather that hit April 8.
Generally spared the torrential rains that regularly fall on its neighbors such as Mozambique or Madagascar, the KZN suffered rainfall unheard of in the country for at least sixty years, resulting in deadly floods.
At least 448 people have died, according to a new report released on the evening of April 19. The first estimates of the damage amount to several hundred million euros.
Also read: Article reserved for our subscribers Historic flooding and devastation in the Durban region of South Africa
“Let’s help the government help the residents”
Faced with such a situation, artists mobilize. In a message posted on April 13 on the Instagram social network, actor and choreographer Somizi Mhlongo (4.6 million subscribers) made a first call for help.
“I woke up with a heavy heart knowing someone out there isn’t having a good morning. I can’t stop thinking about what’s happening at KZN, the flooding… I see it on Twitter, TikTok, everyone’s talking about it. My question is: how can I help? » says Somizi Mhlongo.
Also read: Article reserved for our subscribers South Africa floods: ‘We have nowhere to go’, the poorest hit hard
He urged South African celebrities like rapper Cassper Nyovest (5.5 million subscribers), businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize (2.2 million subscribers) or DJ Tira (2.8 million subscribers) on Instagram to donate to Gift of the Givers, the largest disaster relief organization -NGO to donate based in South Africa.
In a video he continues: “I know the government is doing something, let’s help the government to help the people of KZN. He proposes nothing more and nothing less than organizing a benefit concert at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban (an 85,000-seat stadium). “All proceeds will be donated to KZN Relief Fund for flood relief,” he said.
Elon Musk’s silence
On Tuesday, South African-born actress Charlize Theron (6.8 million Instagram followers) expressed her dismay at the disaster in her country of origin. She called for donations to help victims through her foundation, the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), established in 2007.
Other South African stars, however, remain absent subscribers. Trevor Noah, “South African comedian,” says his account’s bio Twitter (11.7 million subscribers) and Instagram (7.4 million subscribers) and the star of the “Daily Show” in the US did not speak. No more than Elon Musk, born in Pretoria. The man whose personal wealth was approaching ($275 billion according to Forbes) – almost as much as South Africa’s gross domestic product ($301 billion) as Jeune Afrique recalled a few months ago – is surprisingly calm.
However, it is not due to lack of demand from users from South Africa. One of the most famous influencers in the country, so to speak Mr. Schmeg, challenges him: “Hi @elonmusk, please help raise funds for the KZN in South Africa”. Other, LuvuyoTo write :
« Mfowethu [« mon frère », en bantu] @elonmusk, I’m South African. I heard you were born here. We were hit by a severe storm in KZN last week and almost 500 people died, people lost their homes and everything they owned. Can you please buy or donate South Africa. »
But Elon Musk obviously has his head elsewhere, all about his takeover bid on Twitter.
Please be transparent about the use of funds
Given the scale of the disaster, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of national disaster on Monday, which should allow for the release of extraordinary resources.
Mr Ramaphosa, who has made the fight against corruption one of his top priorities, pledged that public funds earmarked for flood victims would not be wasted. “We are learning lessons from the experience of the Covid-19 pandemic and bringing together different stakeholders to integrate an oversight structure to ensure that all funds disbursed (…) are correctly accounted for and that the state gets what you pay for”, he called.
This promise of transparency comes after the release of the report’s findings in January the special investigation unit which examined public contracts to combat Covid. Their investigation revealed that more than half of the 5,467 contracts concluded to purchase equipment or services as part of the fight against the pandemic resulted in embezzlement, the value of which is estimated at around 830 million euros.
Despite Mr Ramaphosa’s pledge, many South Africans doubt public funds earmarked for flood relief are not being siphoned off through corruption. A petition was started on Change.org to demand transparency in the use of the funds collected. By 5 p.m. (Paris time) on Wednesday, she had collected 8,000 signatures.