KZN flood victims relocated

GOVERNMENT has relocated all families that were displaced by the KwaZulu-Natal floods last year to new accommodation.

More than 8 000 families were affected by the floods in April and May, with Ugu, King Cetshwayo, uMgungundlovu, KwaDukuza, Msunduzi, Ilembe and the eThekweni municipalities being worst hit.

Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele said the 135 mass care centres, which housed people who were affected by the floods in various districts, were closed by Christmas.

In the intermediate phase of the relocation project, people were provided with alternative accommodation and some basic needs in different areas such as community halls and churches across affected districts.

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“In ensuring that the stabilisation phase became possible, the National Department of Human Settlement availed R325 764 000 from the Provincial Emergency Housing Grant for the provision of Emergency Housing solutions. From this grant, 1 731 temporary residential units were built and handed over to beneficiaries; 10 transitional emergency accommodation sites have been provided; a total of 493 families received building material supply, and the process of building permanent housing is still continuing. There were 135 mass care centres in affected districts, and by Saturday, December 24, 2022, all of them were closed, and families were relocated to temporary units and transitional emergency accommodation,” he said.

For the rehabilitation phase (long-term infrastructure projects), government is building permanent housing structures for displaced families and counselling is also being provided to all families.

Bridges and corroded roads, much of which have been restored, will be fixed over time and as budgets allow.

He added government will also ensure that people residing in flood-prone areas are relocated.