Human Settlements Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete will visit 98-year-old gogo Nofimile Gxogxa again today to assess progress being made to reconstruct her house which burned down last week Monday.

During her visit today, the Deputy Minister will provide feedback on all the commitments made by the three spheres of government and their agencies when they visited the household to assess the damages after the fire incident. These include rebuilding the damaged structures, the provision of a Temporary Residential Unit (TRU) for the family and provision of some much needed basic necessities such as bedding, clothing and food.

The visit will take place as follows:

Date: Today, 22 April 2024
Time: 12:00 hrs Venue: Needs Camp, Phumlani Location, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, East London, Eastern Cape

To R.S.V.P: Contact Isaac Skhosana on Isaac.Skhosana@dhs.gov.za or 076 875 5681

Media Enquiries: 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

The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, and Mpumalanga MEC for Human Settlements, Speed Mashilo will visit Sonheuwel Community Residential Units Project in the City of Mbombela, Mpumalanga. The visit is meant to assess progress thus far in the construction of 168 residential units.

The development is made up of 150 two-bedroom self-contained units and 18 one￾bedroom self-contained units. This is to ensure the provision of habitable neighbourhoods, better access to economic activities and provision of affordable rental housing.

Together with City of Mbombela Executive Mayor, Cllr Sibongile Makushe￾Mazibuko, the Minister and MEC, will also handover over 1400 title deeds to qualifying beneficiaries of government subsidised homes at the Umjindi Township in Barberton. This is in line with the government’s efforts to restore dignity and affording security of tenure and promoting property ownership.

Members of the media are invited as follows:

SESSION 1: IN-LOCO INSPECTION AT SONHEUWEL CRU PROJECT

Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2024 Time: 09:40 Venue: Sinhouwel CRU Project Site, City of Mbombela, Mpumalanga

SESSION 2: HANDOVER OF TITLE DEEDS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2024 Time: 10:30 Venue: Ext 12 Open Field, Ward 45 Umjidi, Barberton

Government is fast-tracking relief efforts in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality following the devastating floods that destroyed homes, and displaced families, and led to the loss of lives.

A Ministerial delegation representative of all the spheres of government conducted an oversight visit to flood-stricken areas in Gqeberha on Wednesday, 05 June 2024, to bolster government’s urgent responses following the torrential rains that caused massive damage to infrastructure, displacing over 1000 households, and claiming the lives of at least ten people.

The day commenced with a technical meeting between the three spheres of government where they received feedback from the Disaster Response Teams on the work being done to provide humanitarian relief to those affected and the implementation status of further interventions.

The visits to Qunu, Izinyoka, Nomakanjani, Bongweni informal settlements and Kariega comprised a delegation led by the Minister of COGTA, Thembi Nkadimeng, Human Settlements Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, together with Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and respective Deputy Ministers, MECs, MMCs, Mayor and the Deputy Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.

Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has declared urgent relocation of families currently housed at mass care centres to temporary emergency accommodation inclusive of safer places for mothers and small children as an immediate action and temporary residential units as a medium to long-term intervention (TRUs). She echoed government calls for the public to remain vigilant during heavy rains or flooding and urged all road users to be cautious on the roads.

Minister Nkadimeng has instructed the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) to work closely with the Joint District Operations Centre, the Eastern Cape provincial government, as well as the affected municipalities to further provide assistance and support to those affected by the floods.

Premier Mabuyane assured residents that government was putting together resources to improve the dire situation that they have found themselves in.

"Currently, government is conducting assessment of damages and requests communities to remain united, vigilant, and monitor weather updates as further rainfall is anticipated", he said.

Mabuyane further called on the private sector to partner with government in lending a hand to the victims of the disastrous floods around the province.

For media enquiries, contact: Mr. Tsekiso Machike - 078 237 3900 – MLO COGTA Ms. Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota - 064 754 8426 - MLO Human Settlements Ms. Khuselwa Rantjie – 082 728 7476 - Eastern Cape government spokesperson Ends-