The IFP in the KZN Legislature says it has little faith that those affected by the recent storm – which wreaked havoc in eThekwini – will get assistance speedily.
The so-called ‘caring’ ANC government has a dismal track-record when it comes to flood victims. It has been over a year since the ANC made empty promises that victims of the April 2022 floods would be provided with houses. This, despite the KZN Department of Human Settlements’ R4.3 billion Budget for the 2023/24 Financial Year and their promise that 13 parcels of land had been identified to build houses for flood victims. Disaster backlogs continue to accumulate, yet during 2017-2019 and 2019-2020 KZN Department of Human Settlements had a budget allocation of R397 million that was underspent.
Unsurprisingly, the response from the KZN MEC for Human Settlements, Sipho Nkosi, to an IFP parliamentary question regarding the promised houses, failed to provide a clear timeframe. He instead stated that prior to construction, various detailed planning milestones are required, such as the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act approval and related environmental authorisations. Apparently, the 13 land parcels are currently at the various detailed stages of the planning process, and once planning has been completed, the project will proceed to construction.
The recent storm has now added yet another burden to the government’s load, as it has to provide additional assistance to those affected. In addition, winter is upon us.
This lack of action on the part of government puts lives at risk, as many people are without houses, with some are staying in shacks, and others left homeless.
The IFP will continue to monitor this situation and call on government to speed up the process of providing homes to those affected by the devastating floods.
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Contact
Mrs Thokozile Gumede MPL
IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson for Human Settlements
073 583 8585