Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Velenkosini Hlabisa has allocated R1.44-billion to assist municipalities impacted by recent natural disasters.
Hlabisa said the funds, dispersed between February and March, aim to address infrastructure damage caused by floods, heat waves, and severe weather events across multiple provinces.
He said the grant allocation covers 60 municipalities and provincial sector departments across five provinces, including the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Free State, targeting sectors such as infrastructure repair, education, health and agriculture.
Hlabisa was speaking on Monday at a media briefing at the GCIS Media House in Hatfield, Pretoria.
“The allocated funds are important, recognising the urgency of response and recovery as well as restoration efforts.
Building and restoring community dignity
“The disbursed funds come at an opportune moment as they assist and augment funds budgeted by provinces for disasters. Availability of funds is an important stepping stone for communities to restore, build back and restore their dignity,” said Hlabisa.
Meanwhile, Hlabisa announced that the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has officially classified recent weather events as a national disaster, enabling prompt intervention and support for affected communities.
“As we face the growing challenges posed by natural hazards such as floods, heat waves, fires and droughts, it is crucial to recognise the substantial threats these events pose to our communities, to our infrastructure, as well as to our economy.
Unsustainable practices pose serious challenges
“While climate change has exacerbated some of these risks, we also confront challenges that stem from unsustainable practices and inadequate planning,” said Hlabisa.
He believed that acknowledging these factors allowed government to pursue proactive measures and solutions that can lessen future risks.
The country has been experiencing significant weather events, including heavy rains, floods, thunderstorms and strong winds since the beginning of 2025.
Hlabisa emphasised the importance of accountability, warning that any mismanagement or diversion of funds will face strict consequences.
“I am speaking about the funds amounting to R1.44-billion already in the accounts of our municipalities, but what we notice in some of our municipalities is that the poor infrastructure, planning and implementation become a serious factor.
“The poor workmanship is always noted once the money has been spent, diverted from the original allocation. When money was allocated for a bridge, a municipality decided to use the money for salaries, or when the money was allocated for 3 kilometers, the municipality decided to spend the money on 1 kilometer,” said Hlabisa.
However, he said the government will do whatever it takes to ensure that they follow these monies that have been allocated and have given municipalities up until August this year to use the allocated funds.
“The allocation of disaster response and recovery grants is a testament to our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our communities and rebuilding our nation as we navigate these challenging times. We must work together, leveraging our collective strengths and resources to ensure a resilient and prosperous future for all people of South Africa,” said Hlabisa.
