Roadways and sidewalks along uMhlanga Rocks’ Lighthouse Road have been left flooded and covered in mud after an eThekwini contractor unintentionally hit a water pipe near Protea Hotel and burst a water main. Contractors (not affiliated to the eThekwini or the incident) working on the Remo Warehouse stated that they saw a surge of water flood most of the restaurants in the vicinty. It was reported that raw sewage was also emitted onto the sidewalks and floated into the nearby businesses, forcing them to close down.
According to the uMhlanga Urban Improvement Precinct, water supplies in the uMhlanga Rocks areas will likely be shut down, while they work to repair the damage. Local councillor for the area, Heinz de Boer, said: “Sections of the Protea Hotel have been flooded due to the burst. Additionally, the burst has affected the storm water and sewer system. Raw sewage is now flowing down into local businesses and along the street. the various departments have been notified and are en route to deal speedily with the situation. The burst pipe was caused by someone hitting the pipe with a pick or other tool.”
