Zululand gets R22 million for flood damage repairs
Zululand District Municipality Mayor Michael Khumalo has welcomed the allocation. 'This additional funding will go a long way towards accelerating our efforts to mitigate disaster risks and put into place proactive measures. We pledge to utilise this grant promptly and follow procedures and protocols as established by the department to ensure accountability and transparency,' said Khumalo.
The mayor added that the Zululand District has experienced unprecedented challenges due to heavy rains and flooding, which resulted in significant damage to water infrastructure and other public facilities. The combined funding of R22 million will be used for repairs to damaged water schemes, sanitation systems and other essential municipal services. He also urged residents to continue working together with the municipality to ensure that the recovery efforts are inclusive and transparent. This grant will be transferred in phases. The minister's office reported that the department is currently awaiting transfer dates from the National Treasury.
CoGTA MEC for KZN, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has also welcomed the announcement, since municipalities in the province were impacted by incidents that caused billions of rands worth of destruction. He said this allocation is specifically earmarked for disaster response and recovery.
The funds will provide much-needed relief to communities, facilitating the installation of new disaster mitigation measures and the improvement of roads, as well as water and sanitation infrastructure. This allocation also underscores the national government's commitment to supporting the province's ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts.
ALSO READ: Zululand District Municipality elects new mayor
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This is because it can operate both as a parallel hybrid, in which both the petrol and electric motors power the vehicle at the same time for maximum performance, or as a series hybrid, wherein the petrol engine acts as a generator to charge the battery when it's running low. The J7 SHS can operate in series and parallel hybrid modes. Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ And this is what makes it more economical than a traditional PHEV, which can get thirsty after the battery is depleted. This is because in series hybrid mode, the petrol engine is operating in a more efficient range as it powers the battery, rather than directly driving the wheels, which the 150kW e-motor does with ease all on its own. Power is sent to the front wheels through a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT). Slam the right pedal, however, and both motors will power the wheels simultaneously, delivering combined outputs of 255kW and 525Nm. This results in somewhat spirited performance, with 0-100km/h coming up in a claimed 8.5 seconds, but because this vehicle is front-wheel drive, there is a bit of unwelcome torque steer. What's it like to drive? This J7 SHS is more of a comfortable-but-brisk cruiser than an outright performance vehicle, and I was impressed by its smoothness and quietness of its operation. The petrol engine was quiet and unobtrusive when called into action in series hybrid mode, and the driving experience was akin to a fully-electric vehicle. Thanks to its 18.3 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery, the J7 SHS can technically operate as a full EV if you plug it in regularly, with Jaecoo claiming an all-electric range of up to 90km and a combined range of over 1,200km, albeit under ideal conditions. Our vehicle automatically kicked into HEV mode when there was 20km of EV range remaining, and I decided to keep it uncharged to gauge how economical it would be as a regular hybrid. In a mixture of driving conditions, the Jaecoo sipped a very reasonable 6.6 litres per 100km. On-road refinement is impressive, as we've touched on, and the ride is acceptably comfortable on most roads, however it felt a little too firm for my liking over harsher surfaces. Another downside, in my book, was the artificial and unresponsive steering feel, but this shouldn't be a deal breaker for most buyers. Interior, features and practicality The interior takes a leaf out of Tesla's book, with almost all functions being operated via a huge 14.8-inch 'floating' central touchscreen, which incorporates wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity as well as built-in satnav. Most features can also be controlled via voice control. Thankfully, accessing the climate controls on the screen isn't too much of a pain as there is a permanent short cut at the bottom of the screen layout. Hope you like things digital! Image: Supplied Other features include a panoramic sunroof, eight-speaker Sony sound system, 50-watt wireless charger, 540-degree surround view camera, and a full suite of 16 driver assist features, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Auto Emergency Braking with Vehicle, Pedestrian and Bicycle Recognition, Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. The J7 SHS costs just R10,000 more than the range-topping Inferno petrol model and besides losing the all-wheel drive system, the hybrid only misses out on the most extravagant of features versus its sibling. Assuming you can live without a heated steering wheel and rear privacy glass. When it comes to rear legroom, the 4.5-metre-long J7 is average at best. Jumping into the back, I didn't feel cramped, but there wasn't much stretching space either. The boot is somewhat shallow, thanks to all the hybrid hardware, and this also means there is no spare wheel - which is worrying in the South African context. As for after-sales back-up, the J7 SHS is sold with a five-year or 75,000km service plan and seven-year or 200,000km warranty with the electric drive unit components covered for 10 years or 200,000km. The first owner also benefits from a 10-year or million-kilometre engine warranty and a 10-year, unlimited-kilometre battery pack warranty. 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