Johannesburg
Written by: Vidur Srikrishna
Summary:
In Johannesburg, more than 300 people have been killed due to floods in South Africa. The Wall Street Journal says, “...officials warned that disruptions at the regional transport hub of Durban will likely continue for some time, with outbound shipping still suspended.” Durban is South Africa’s largest port. This port transports goods to and from Johannesburg and other neighboring landlocked countries. The Wall Street Journal also states that a road that takes almost 1,300 trucks a day to the harbor has been damaged, so they need to find alternative roads while they repair it. “Rail operations are also suspended. Food, medical supplies and petroleum products are among the goods that have been prioritized for evacuation from the harbor” (Patel). People were left without electricity and fresh water and residents of KwaZulu-Natal were urged to shelter in community halls and school facilities. Some people weren’t able to reach them because of the damage to roads and bridges. Many businesses have also been short-staffed, and some also reported fuel shortages. The South African Weather Service has issued warnings of further flooding, extreme wind, and hailstorms in surrounding areas and in the province. They also issued a warning of difficult driving conditions and traffic disruptions.
Analysis:
I think that this is a terrible thing for the South African people. This has severely damaged many citizens’ areas. Also, the biggest port in South Africa was affected. This is the Port of Durban. Like what was said above, the Port of Durban transports goods to and from Johannesburg and other neighboring landlocked countries. Some of these include Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, which will also be affected. Since they get goods from this port, they will not be able to get these goods, since the port is damaged. Also, the road that takes 1300 trucks on it a day to the harbor was damaged. Now, truckers have to find alternative roads. Once again, citizens are affected by this as the Road Freight Association reported traffic jams of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). These are caused by trucks going to Johannesburg on national roads.
Some may ask what the greater implications are of the ports going down due to this flood. People won’t be able to get the same items that they usually get or have the same access to items of the same quality. Because of the flood, there will be a shortage of these items in South Africa and people will have to look outside of the country for the goods that they want. Because of this, other countries may try to take advantage of the situation and raise their prices. If this is the case, then countries near South Africa will also need to up their prices, which would pose a financial burden to the citizens. Others may ask what the implications of a shortage on goods like food, medical supplies, and petroleum are. The shortage of food will cause food insecurity since other places will need to raise their prices, making food more inaccessible. Medical supplies face a similar outcome. If there isn’t free healthcare, then a trip to the doctor’s office or a hospital bill will be more expensive. This is the same with petroleum, as supply will cost more. Also, the traffic jams won’t be good for citizens. People will take a lot more time to get to safer areas, as they will have difficulty doing so due to broken roads and bridges. Further, because of these traffic jams, cars will be sitting on the road for longer, causing even more fuel to be used.
Call to action:
People could help by donating to organizations that deal with helping people that are being hit by natural disasters, such as floods. One organization, South Africa Flood Relief Fund, is dealing with this. They say that your donation will be used to:
Provide food, water, and emergency medical supplies to people
Support temporary relief and emergency supplies for displaced families
Meet other needs that emerge
There are also other articles that can tell you where to donate, what is happening, and include links to the sites / organizations to donate to. These will be linked below. The Globalcitizen website lets you paste a template that you can use to spread the word about the floods.
Where & how to donate
Gift of the Givers
Gift of the Givers is a South Africa-based relief group with a global footprint. They have been at the forefront of assisting the citizens of KwaZulu/Natal, and they offer immediate assistance.
How to donate in 3 simple steps:
Press on the “Make a difference” button in the top right.
Select how you would like to donate and the amount you would like to donate.
Put the required information into the boxes.
UNICEF South Africa
UNICEF South Africa is dedicating resources specifically to children affected by the flooding. With a number of schools wiped out completely, their work is imperative in helping to reopen schools.
How to donate:
Press the “Donate” button in the top right. A new tab will open that has all the information that you need to put in to donate.
Fill in the boxes and make sure you select your donation amount. You can use a bank account or a credit card to donate.
An e-signature is required at the end. You can also choose to donate monthly or just have a one-time donation.
Save the Children
Save the Children is on the ground right now providing immediate needs, and both short and long term health and educational support.
How to donate:
Press the “Donate” button in the top right. This will open a page that allows you to donate monthly or have a one-off donation.
Select the amount you want to donate.
Put your information into each box and then press “Donate now.” Your donation will be sent. For this organization, only credit cards and debit cards are accepted.
Source: How to Help South African Flood Victims in the KwaZulu/Natal Province
Globalcitizen (Spread the word)
Links:
South Africa Flood Relief Fund
(This organization has already been fully funded)
