Tshwane 2019 flood victims still displaced, says ActionSA

ActionSA says hundreds of Tshwane flood victims who lost their homes in the 2019 December floods have not yet been relocated.

Two years later, some 598 of the 790 residents who lost their homes in the Tshwane floods still have no homes, despite numerous promises from the government.

The party’s comments come just as the rainy season begins.

Just last week, the South African Weather Services issued storm warnings for the country and urged disaster management teams to be on alert for flash flooding in lower-lying areas.

The weather service predicted that people living in informal homes, especially near bodies of water, could be displaced.

“ActionSA in Tshwane is deeply concerned about the 2019 Mamelodi flood victims are being subjected to secondary victimisation by the City of Tshwane, which has failed to accelerate the relocation process even after our numerous calls to do so,” the party said in a statement.

“It is worrisome that the City of Tshwane appears to have chosen to turn a deaf ear and play politics instead of prioritising the Mamelodi flood victims who lost their homes in the December 2019 floods.”

ActionSA has accused the city of reneging on plans to relocate victims in September this year.

Tshwane officials allegedly cited a lack of resources and means to relocate flood victims.

“These residents have had no place to call home since 19 December 2019. At the time, a relocation plan was mooted but then abandoned by the city. A new plan was then allegedly developed, but this plan has also turned to dust,” said the party.

At the time of the disaster, Gauteng Premier David Makhura promised to move victims to a safe space, but that was never done.

ActionSA has since offered legal support to flood victims, and that case is ongoing.

But Tshwane has denied accusations that it has abandoned flood victims.

“We still need to identify land that is suitable for human habitation, and that land would have to be funded,” said the city’s spokesperson Sipho Stuurman.

ActionSA Tshwane caucus leader Abel Tau is expected to meet the victims’ community leaders on Tuesday.

“As a represented party in the council, ActionSA will put pressure on the city to do right by these victims who have been subjected to inhumane conditions by the municipality,” said Tau.