Resettlement of displaced residents after the floods
Date: 2022-09-30 12:22:43
Resettlement of displaced residents after the floods
GREAT strides have been made by eThekwini Municipality to alleviate the plight of more than 6 000 families who were adversely affected during the floods in the City earlier this year. Most of the affected families were from informal settlements and were housed at 120 mass care centres after being displaced.
The Municipality, together with the provincial Department of Human Settlements, has made several strides to assist the victims and have instituted a multi-faceted approach to assist with the resettlement of the displaced residents and are working to eradicate all mass care centres by December 2022. A report tabled at an Executive Committee meeting on 20 September stated that mass care centres are not a viable long-term solution.
The tabled report also highlighted progress made with the resettlement of displaced flood victims from mass care centres. The following progress has since been made:
Over 360 families have been issued with material supply to rebuild.
Over 20 houses were built through donations by service providers in the private sector.
Eight parcels of land were handed over by the KZN Department of Human Settlements and have been identified and cleared as suitable to build a minimum of 1 076 houses.
Contractors have been appointed by the KZN Department of Human Settlements for five of the eight sites that were handed over.
23 other sites are currently undergoing feasibility assessments.
To date, 43 mass care centres have been cleared with 71 centres to be eradicated.
The multi-faceted approach to resettle displaced residents includes the utilisation of Council owned property and to rent/ lease privately owned buildings for a period of at least 12 months while exploring alternative options.
This also includes working with the KZN Department of Human Settlements to identify land for the construction of Temporary Residential Units. The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has offered R14 million for 100 replacement houses for flood victims at a cost of R140 000 each. Upon approval of the support at Council, a grant agreement will be entered into with DBSA and the Municipality.
