Following a fire that destroyed several structures at the Selby informal settlement in Booysens, City of Johannesburg on Monday, the National Department of Human Settlements has deployed its team members, as a norm, to conduct verification and assess the damage caused by the fire. Central to this exercise is determining the exact number of affected households, enabling the department to provide the necessary interventions.

While the Department is committed to ensuring that we provide emergency intervention, several challenges still need to be addressed. One of these challenges is the affected households' lack of willingness to participate in the verification process. About 200 households have submitted their names for verification thus far, and in some instances, the information is incomplete.

This creates a problem because the Government has limited resources. Therefore, victims need to have proper identification documents that can be verified. It is important that those who lost documents due to the fire approach the nearest Home Affairs for a replacement document or provide sworn affidavits to help fast-track assistance.

What complicates the situation even worse is that the land on which the informal structures were built belongs to Prasa and is illegally occupied. Accordingly, the department can not erect temporary structures on an invaded land.

However, working with other spheres of government and relevant Government Departments, we remain committed to responding to emergency housing needs of those in distress. This will be done within the confines of the law.

Enquiries: Tsekiso Machike, Spokesperson to the Minister on 078 237 3900 I Tsekiso.machike@dhs.gov.za or Nozipho Zulu, Head of Communications on 078 457 9376 I Nozipho.Zulu@dhs.gov.za

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