E Cape plans disaster housing

2006-08-17 07:27

Port Elizabeth - The Eastern Cape is fast-tracking housing for those left homeless by recent floods, the provincial department of housing and local government said on Wednesday.

"Help is on the way for up to 20 000 families that were either displaced or partially affected by the recent floods, storms and snowfall disasters that struck certain parts of the Eastern Cape," said department spokesperson Mbulelo Linda in a statement.

He added problems in the areas hit this week by heavy snowfalls were still being assessed.

Linda said emergency housing budget allocations for 2006/7 around the province totalled R32m.

"The province and the municipalities are currently... spending these allocations as per submission of priority lists and business plans from the municipalities."

Housing relief plan

The Port Elizabeth-based Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) was badly hit by recent floods. Linda said the department and NMBM officials met on Tuesday to put together a housing relief plan.

"Currently over 25 000 families in the NMBM are living in extremely stressful conditions of which approximately 22 500 families do not have access to proper water and sanitation services," said Linda.

He said about 6 000 of these families live in the Soweto-on-Sea and Veeplaas areas. These families would be relocated immediately through the Zanemvula project, which has a budget of R73.9m for the 2006/7 financial year. It was expected to deliver about 3 000 houses by March 31, 2007.

Linda said this meant that emergency funding would not immediately be needed here as normal housing subsidy funds were being used.

There were also 6 000 fully-serviced sites available throughout NMBM not committed to any housing project. These were available for immediate development.

Relief efforts

Linda said other relief efforts around the province were being co-ordinated by the provincial department of social development.

There was also R10m for the department of agriculture to supply and transport feed and stock water to affected farmers.

He said there had been an "overwhelming" response by the public, organisations and business to requests for aid.

Adding up the costs

The province is adding up the costs of weather disasters.

Linda said damage to electricity was estimated at R2m, environmental damage at R1.7m, recreation and cultural services at R1.8m, and safety and security services at R500 000.

Infrastructure damage was estimated at more than R310m so far. This included: NMBM R120m; Amathole District R17.3m; Cacadu District R173.4m; OR Tambo R106 000.

Costs for temporary repairs to business infrastructure and private properties were estimated at R3.7m, medium-term repairs at R26.6m and long-term repairs at R109.3m.

Linda said further damage assessments were still being made.

- SAPA