The provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal has availed three buildings to accommodate more than 1 600 residents who stayed in nine halls spread across the province.
Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, accompanied by human settlements MEC Ntuthuko Mahlaba and director-general in the provincial government Nonhlanhla Mkhize, facilitated the relocation of the people who were displayed by the floods in April and May.
Dube-Ncube said the government is hard at work trying to assist communities to recover from the devastation caused by the floods. About 531 families will be accommodated in the three buildings.
She assured that in the next seven days, there will be no victims of floods living in a mass care centre.
“As the government, we have mobilised all available resources and are undertaking every effort to ensure that as we rebuild and rehouse flood victims, no one is left behind,” said Dube-Ncube.
“Three buildings are being made available today, starting with this Astra Building in Russel Street, O’Flaherty Building in Sydenham and Pinetown Student Village.”
The premier added that other relocations planned for this week include Mpola Hall, which is accommodating 195 people; Rurafo Hall with 158 people; Isithundu Hall with 199 people; Marrianridge with 120 people, and Truro Hall in Pietermaritzburg, which is accommodating 23 families.
“Since the floods, the government has successfully implemented immediate humanitarian assistance in the form of social relief of distress grants, food, water, shelter, sanitation, clothes and blankets.”
The government has also provided burial assistance and helped with death certificates, identity documents, post-mortems, health services and psychosocial support.
“We undertook extensive work to restore basic services such as water, electricity, sanitation and waste removal. This work still continues, as we rebuild major roads and infrastructure that was washed away.
“The reality is that we are a province that is far better than the bleak situation of April and May 2022,” Dube-Ncube said.
She also expressed her gratitude to government partners in the private sector.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
