Howard Yawa, deploys technical team to Greater Taung disaster
7 January 2009
North West MEC for Developmental Local Government and Housing, Howard Yawa
has deployed a technical team on the ground for an assessment of the disaster
that struck Greater Taung last Friday leaving over five hundred people
homeless. The team is visiting the area today Wednesday, 7 January 2009 to
finalise recommendations on the required intervention to alleviate the
situation of the families that were left destitute by the disaster.
Fifty mud houses, 55 formal dwellings, a school, electricity and
communication network in Longaneng, Molelema and Morokweng villages were
extensively damaged by a thunderstorm that struck on the second day of the new
year. The damage is provisionally estimated at over R2 million.
Salvage sheets for temporary roofing, mattresses, blankets, basic food
parcels and cottage tents to provide temporary accommodation have been
distributed to all of the 105 affected families by the Joint Operation Centre
established by Greater Taung Local Municipality. The local relief efforts are
supported by Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality and the
Provincial Disaster Management Centres.
Greater Taung experienced a major disaster in 2006 that destroyed 2 000
houses scattered across 40 villages. The massive emergency housing project that
cost the provincial department over R84 million was finally completed in
December 2008, i.e. two weeks before the recent disaster.
For enquiries, contact:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 387 3814
Fax: 018 384 5426
Cell: 083 629 1987
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Developmental Local Government and Housing, North
West Provincial Government
7 January 2009
