The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi has dispatched a team responsible for Emergency Housing in the Department to establish the type and extent of damage to formal and informal houses caused by a storm that hit several areas in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.
The preliminary assessments, thus far, indicate that several households in Ekubuseni, Gomodo, and Holinyoka villages were largely affected leaving four households homeless.
After the completion of these assessments, the Emergency Housing Unit will then intervene based on the four categories of emergency housing interventions provided by the Department, namely:
- Restoration: Provide building materials to all households whose structures were destroyed by the storm
- Relocation: Provide Temporary Emergency Accommodation (TEAs) for all homeless households.
- Rebuilding: Constructing Temporary Residential Units (TRUs) for all destroyed mud houses.
- Repairs: Fixing all damaged formal houses, after the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) has completed the structural assessments
“I have directed officials to ensure that affected households are assisted as a matter of urgency. We have roped in one of our agencies, NHBRC to help the team assess the integrity of all structures that have been affected”, said Minister Kubayi.
Established in 2023, the Emergency Housing Unit is tasked with the responsibility of responding to emergencies such as fires and floods. This is done by working together with other spheres of government.
“Our main objective in emergency housing response is to ensure that we respond swiftly and provide solutions that will enable the affected communities to rebuild their homes”, added Minister Kubayi.
For media enquiries contact:
Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Human Settlements
Cell: 064 754 8426
E-mail: Hlengiwe.Nhlabathi@dhs.gov.za
Nozipho Zulu
Head of Communications
Cell: 078 457 9376
