Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
How many (a) people have been displaced as a result of the recent flooding, (b) people are still in need of shelter and (c) shelter facilities are there throughout the entire province?
- Below is a breakdown of the current situation in Western Cape Province:
- In Cape Winelands District, around 1000 people in Rawsonville were evacuated due to flooding. Fortunately, they have all returned safely to their homes, and the shelter has been closed.
- In the City of Cape Town, 100 residents of The Ark were affected by flooding and had to relocate within the property. All evacuated victims were accommodated in the Church Hall on the same property. In addition,
40 flood victims in Khayelitsha were temporarily housed in a hall but have since returned to their homes. - In West Coast District, roughly 300 households between Cederberg and Matzikama were affected by flooding and have been provided with temporary shelter. Meanwhile, about 150 Citrusdal residents were temporarily housed at Orangeville Community Centre and received relief. As of 4 July 2023, these residents have been returning to their homes.
- No additional shelter is required.
(c) The Department is not mandated to offer temporary shelter services and therefore cannot provide a specific count of shelter facilities. All municipalities have standard operating procedures and contingency plans, which guide them in accessing such provisions from the relevant sector departments, the National Department of Human Settlement. As of 1 April 2023, the National Department of Human Settlements took over the emergency housing programme. As a result, the provincial emergency housing grant and the municipal emergency grant ceased to exist. The Emergency Housing Command Centre has been established to coordinate the national disaster response and allows communities direct access to report incidents via email.
This process has been a challenge for the Department, impacting our communities negatively and putting pressure on our municipalities.
Some municipalities provide emergency shelter, while others are reluctant due to substantial financial and legal implications. In many communities, members often refuse alternative shelter to safeguard their belongings and housing.
