Minister Kubayi, it’s time to devolve emergency funding to the City
09 July 2024
STATEMENT BY THE CITY'S MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, COUNCILLOR CARL POPHAIM
The City's disaster risk management and front line service teams are on the ground to assist the vulnerable residents in the informal settlements which have been severely affected by the inclement weather that has hit Cape Town. The City has issued some 4 500 flood kits. However, this is an evolving situation and the need and relief is likely to increase.
I again yesterday, 8 July 2024, wrote to the National Minister of Human Settlements Mmamoloko Kubayi to request her to consider the appeal made in November 2023 to devolve the Emergency Housing Grant to Cape Town immediately. The Minister knows that when Cape Town managed this grant, we were able to respond to issues affecting emergency housing requirements within 24 hours typically. Currently residents are waiting months to receive this service and we are seeing it now again with the effects of our weather. Our teams are on the ground and will continue to assist residents as best we can fundamentally getting their details to process it through to Pretoria in order to access the grant. We will continue to engage residents and I, as a Member of the Mayoral Committee, will be on the ground supporting our communities as best we can. Let's stick together in this difficult time as we build Cape Town, together.
Our Human Settlements, Basic Services, Disaster Risk Management, Safety and Security teams, and NGO partners, among others, are working tirelessly to assist residents with soft relief, milling material and relocations where it has been feasible to do so. However, as a City we can do so much more if we are given direct access to disaster funding to assist the verified flood victims in the many affected areas across the city. The City asks for greater funding to be made available to Cape Town to assist residents so that the money can be spent on additional flood kits and other winter interventions.
Our teams remain on the ground and the full assessments of the affected households in need are ongoing. Our initial assessments indicate that approximately 5 000 residents are affected at this stage, however assessments continue. We've issued approximately 4 500 flood kits and assessments of the total requests received continues. Our teams have done some relocations, however this is challenging.
We have provided the National Human Settlements Department with all the verified data of those affected thus far for their urgent assistance and we call on the National Department for their swifter and urgent action in this regard. It is time to devolve emergency housing grants to municipalities that work.
The City will be working nonstop this week so that we can help as many residents and as quickly as possible. The worst affected areas are Khayelitsha, Lwadle in Strand, Nomzamo, Gugulethu, Masiphumelele, Macassar, Sir Lowry's Pass, Mfuleni, Tafelisig and Vygieskraal.
The City thanks the Gift of the Givers and all other relief agencies for assisting in providing soft relief to the affected residents and we will continue to actively work with all relief teams. We call on our residents and businesses to donate to the appropriate relief organisations as we stand together as Team Cape Town.
Emergencies can be reported to the City's Public Emergency Communication Centre by calling 021 480 7700.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
