Minister Simelane works to find new homes for displaced families. Image: Daily Maverick.
(The Post News)– Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane’s department is actively engaged in identifying and assessing suitable land for the relocation of families who have lost their homes due to the severe flooding in Mthatha.
As part of her response to the crisis, Minister Simelane embarked on a three-day visit to the Eastern Cape, an area that has been ravaged by the floods, resulting in a tragic loss of at least 90 lives and leaving thousands of people without homes or livelihoods.
Mthatha has been hit the hardest by the floods and has been officially declared a disaster zone, underscoring the severity of the situation. According to Minister Simelane, one of the significant challenges they are facing is identifying and securing suitable locations for temporary housing units that can accommodate the large number of displaced families, providing them with shelter and basic amenities.
Minister Simelane explained that the government currently does not have readily available land parcels that can be used for temporary housing, which is why they are conducting a thorough search of the national public works registry to identify potential options. Encouragingly, they have identified two private land parcels that could potentially be used for temporary residential units, although these still require assessment and verification. In addition to this effort, the NHBRC is working closely with the government to assess buildings that were partially damaged by the floods. This assessment will enable the government to provide financial assistance to affected families through grants of up to R12,000, which can be used to purchase building materials and repair their homes.
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