The KwaZulu-Natal government says the R950 billion estimate to fix the flood damage was an "honest error".

On Sunday, the provincial government said that it would cost R950 billion to fix the flood damage across the province. However, a late-night correction dropped the figure significantly down to R17 billion.

Initially, the provincial government estimated that it would cost R940 348 500 000 to fix Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) infrastructure.

But in a revised statement, the cost was changed to R955 449 000. KwaZulu-Natal government spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said it would cost an additional R1 688 100 000 for the long-term rehabilitation of Prasa infrastructure. The overall estimate of the flood damage is now around R17 billion.

Mabaso explained: "It was just an honest error in the middle of trying to work out a number of issues. Hence, when it was observed, we immediately corrected the error. We regret the error. There's nothing untoward. To err is human. Government is always open, transparent and accountable."

He said once they spotted the error, they "voluntarily corrected" it.

Mabaso said some of the figures which the technical team was working with included long-term infrastructure rehabilitation. "We only wanted costs related to the floods and nothing else. We corrected the figures to reflect only the floods. There [are] no other ulterior motives."

He said the figures were not final and could be adjusted upwards or downwards.

"It is not the final figure. It is a picture that was emerging two weeks after the disaster."

According to Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda, an estimated 300km of rail infrastructure has been damaged. More than 400 people died in the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal.