Durban - Dozens of South Africa’s arguably most loved bakkie, the Toyota Hilux, were seen submerged in murky water at Toyota’s Prospecton facility in Durban, after a cut-off low storm swept through KwaZulu-Natal, causing severe flooding.
Aerial pictures circulating online show Toyota’s storage facility, adjacent to the N2 southbound just after the old airport in Isipingo, completely flooded.
Toyota Fortuners, Quantums and other models can also be seen submerged.
It was reported Toyota has since halted operations at Prospecton because of the flooding, which has since claimed more than 40 lives in the Durban area, according to the provincial government.
Images shared by the Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA) shows the severity of flooding inside the factory. Toyota Quantums can be seen parked in the flooded manufacturing line.
MISA chief executive Martlé Keyter said the disaster could not have come at a worse time for Toyota SA.
“The industry was grateful last week that new vehicle sales broke through a threshold last experienced in October 2019 with over 50 000 new vehicle sales. Domestic new vehicle sales were at 50 607 units.
“Just yesterday MISA participated in a discussion of the union’s affiliated federation, Fedusa, on climate change. The message was clear: climate change is serious and companies need to think about it now. Tomorrow is too late.
“South Africa must mobilise all its resources to combat climate change as we did in combating the spreading of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Keyter.
With unemployment rates reaching record highs in South Africa since the outbreak of the pandemic, Keyter said the motor retail industry could not afford more retrenchments.
Earlier today, President Cyril Ramaphosa together with Police Minister Bheki Cele and KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala visited various areas affected by the flooding.
Among the stops in Durban, Ramaphosa visited Claremont, where four people died.
“When we saw the destruction in KwaZulu-Natal we decided to personally come here to see how the government can help. I am happy that the Premier (Sihle Zikalala) along with the mayor (eThekwini Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda) and their teams have already started helping families,” he said.
IOL