Minister Sisulu promises fire resistant building technologies and financial support to Knysna and Bitou Municipalities
The Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, MP, has promised to work with Municipalities of Knysna and Bitou to introduce fire resistant building technologies and materials.
This comes after a special meeting between the Minister and Provincial MECs of Human Settlements (MINMEC) to find a lasting solution on housing challenges faced by residents of Knysna and Bitou municipalities as a result of fire.
The Minister added that with the blessing of all human settlements MECs (MINMEC), financial resources have been allocated to fast track the rebuilding of Knysna and Bitou.
"Our immediate response is to ensure that we provide temporary accommodation and that no one lives in community halls or schools. There is a lot of innovative building technologies that can produce temporary structures at a shortest time possible", said Minister Sisulu.
"Together with the Human Settlements MECs we have agreed that going forward when disaster affects our people we will respond together and ensure that we address their challenges. This disaster also provides us with an opportunity to work together to build an integrated and inclusionary human settlements-a new Knysna and Bitou where the poor and the rich stay together", added Minister Sisulu.
The Minister further directed the department to develop policies and models together with other institutions of government that will ensure that insurances are affordable for the poor.
“We had been considering a policy for everyone that gets a government subsidy house to have insurance to assist during a disaster. This disaster in Kynsna and Bitou has made us realised that there is a need for everyone that owns a house to have insurance.
The Minister and MECs also visited affected areas and engaged with Mayors of the local municipalities and other stakeholders.
For more information please contact:
Ndivhuwo Mabaya
Cell: 083 645 7838
