A ROVING team deployed by the Department of Human Settlements has been instructed to obtain more information on runaway veld fires that have reportedly gutted homes in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
While information at this stage is sketchy, Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said affected areas include eShowe, Nkandla, Mtubatuba, uMtshezi and uTrecht.
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“The roving team in various districts is on the ground and doing assessments. Importantly, we request anyone with details of the family in the attached video to forward information to the WhatsApp number 082 3754742,” said MEC Duma.
“During this time of need, we offer to ensure that we work with the national Department of Human Settlements and other relevant departments to speed up interventions that will restore the dignity of families in distress.
“We take comfort in the fact that both the national government of unity and provincial government of unity have adopted an integrated approach to strengthen service delivery.
“We have now entered an era of efficiency and a quick turnaround time to bring much-needed assistance to rural communities who are living under the yoke of poverty and underdevelopment.
“We will be reporting on the progress made in relation to the interventions by the Department of Human Settlements.”
The latest reports of runaway fires come hot on the heels of the Working on Fire (WoF) Kishugu Joint Partnership firefighters battling 19 blazes around KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend.
WoF urged community members to report any unattended fires to their local authorities.
The Fire Danger Index remains high amid strong winds and dry conditions throughout the province.
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