Thousands of flood survivors in EC still waiting to be rehoused

JOHANNESBURG - Thousands of flood survivors in the Eastern Cape are still waiting to be rehoused, with government confirming only 25 families have so far been moved into temporary units at Mayden Farm.

The June floods left more than 4,700 people homeless and destroyed hundreds of houses across the province, mainly in Mthatha.

Officials said that permanent housing remained a long-term project, with the current relocation only a stopgap measure.

The provincial government said that the 25 families moved this week were the first of many to be housed in temporary residential units — basic two-room structures designed to offer short-term relief rather than a lasting solution.

Each family will receive a R2,700 voucher from SASSA to help them settle, but authorities admitted that permanent homes would take much longer to deliver.

Spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie: "This intervention forms part of government's ongoing commitment to ensuring the settlement, safety, dignity and well-being of communities affected by this natural disaster."

Around 120 similar units have already been occupied in Mnquma Municipality, with officials promising more construction in the months ahead.

But thousands of people remain stranded in community halls and churches, where conditions are crowded and many say they have lost everything.