The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has dispatched the Emergency Housing Team to urgently intervene and assist displaced families whose homes were flooded when the walls of a dam collapsed in Swartland Municipality in the Western Cape.

The ongoing assessment will inform interventions required for all the affected households. There are four categories of interventions provided by the department. These include restoration, relocation, rebuilding and repairs.

“We have directed the team to ensure that the affected households are assisted with emergency accommodation, particularly the vulnerable groups. We commend NGOs that are already on the ground to assist victims”, said Minister Kubayi.

“It is unfortunate that we now have to deal with this incident, while we are still reeling from another recent disaster that left people homeless.”, added the Minister.”

Families whose homes were affected by Thursday’s disaster in Riverlands are currently provided shelter at Riverlands Community Bakery Centre and Riverlands Church. The team from human settlements has compiled a list of approximately 100 displaced people who have expressed their reluctance to be moved to safer temporary accommodation, citing a need to take care of their livestock.

The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), which forms part of the disaster team currently onsite, will assess the structural integrity of damaged properties as soon as the water subsides.

For Media enquiries, contact: Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota, Ministry Spokesperson on 064 754 8426 or DHS Head of Communications Nozipho Zulu at 078 457 9376.

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements, Govan Mbeki House 240, Justice Mahomed Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, 0001