Govt dispatches emergency housing team to Limpopo, Mpumalanga as flood damage continues

The national Department of Human Settlements has dispatched an emergency housing team to Limpopo and Mpumalanga as flood damage continues to displace hundreds of families.

Minister Thembi Simelane has directed the department’s emergency housing unit to work with provincial authorities, conducting physical verification of households affected by recent heavy rains.

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More than 1,500 households have been impacted, with the majority located in Limpopo.

In Limpopo, four district municipalities are currently undergoing verification, excluding the Capricorn district, where the process is yet to begin.

In Mpumalanga, verification is underway in two districts, with preliminary findings showing some households will require relocation or temporary residential units due to flood risk.

The department said that the verification process will guide emergency housing interventions, including restoration, repairs, rebuilding and relocation.

“To expedite the verification process, Minister Simelane has directed additional capacity be deployed in both provinces. The Department of Human Settlements provides emergency housing assistance through four interventions, namely restoration, relocation, rebuilding and repairs,” said spokesperson Tsekiso Machike.

The move comes as both provinces remain under a red level 10 weather warning, with heavy rains continuing and more displacements possible.

FUNDING APPLICATION FAST-TRACKED

With the death toll from the Limpopo floods now at eleven, the provincial government said it is fast tracking its application for disaster management funding.

Parts of the province have been battling relentless heavy rain and flooding since the start of the week, with little relief in sight.

President Cyril Ramaphosa visited some of the hardest hit areas, describing the floods as catastrophic, while Premier Phophi Ramathuba told the media that the province is doing all it can to respond.

Ramathuba said that securing additional funding is critical, not only to support affected communities, but also to ensure the safety of rescue and emergency personnel operating in dangerous conditions.

“It is not practical to be everywhere, but we will be visiting, especially prioritising the areas that are in dire need like the Mbawula villages. We had to do that, but we will also check the safety of our teams before we deploy them.”