RDP houses for Limpopo flood victims
2013-01-23 16:34
Johannesburg - Plans are underway to construct RDP houses
for people who lost their dwellings in the recent Limpopo rain and flooding,
officials said on Wednesday.
Two service providers had been appointed to start
identifying beneficiaries and building the houses, Limpopo co-operative
governance department spokesperson Dieketseng Diale said.
"I don't know how much the value of the damage is,
but I can say it's worth millions."
Scores of houses, schools, bridges and roads were damaged
or washed away during eight days of rain in the province. The hardest-hit
districts had not yet been declared disaster zones.
On Wednesday afternoon the death toll stood at 10. Four
others were still missing.
"The one person is from Thohoyandou, the other is
from Giyani and two are children from Musina," Diale said.
In the Vhembe and Mopani villages, emergency workers
rescued 877 people.
In Musina, 334 were rescued after being trapped at the
Pontdrift border post.
Most of the affected had sought refuge with family
members.
Several farms, electricity and communication cables were
destroyed in the rain.
In Makhado, officials had begun mopping-up operations.
Municipality spokesperson Peter Muthambi said Mayor David
Mutavhatsindi had assigned a contractor to start rebuilding the destroyed
bridges and roads.
Muthambi said R12m had been set aside for the project,
which would take several weeks to complete.
Meanwhile, the government congratulated disaster
management teams, residents, and the SA National Defence Force for their help
during the floods in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, which also experienced heavy rain
at the weekend.
"We take our hats off to [them] for a job well done.
These heroes and heroines have gone beyond the call of duty to ensure that the
rescue operations are a success," Government Communication and Information
System Acting CEO Phumla Williams said.
She sent her condolences to the relatives of those who
had died and said she empathised with those who had lost their homes.
The ANC "regretted" the flood damage, and
called for hasty action by officials.
"The Limpopo provincial government has a capacity to
rescue every member of our society affected by this rainy conditions, thus they
should immediately vaccinate for malaria and any other disease water can
convey, make provisions for prevention of cholera, and provide quality
temporary shelter both for residential and schooling," Limpopo ANC spokesperson
Klaas Mabunda said.
He called on business owners and churches to help those
affected.
- SAPA
