fire victims
3 August 2007
Mpumalanga Premier Thabang Makwetla and the MEC for Local Government and
Housing, Candith Mashego-Dlamini have handed over relief goods to families of
the fire victims at Graskop and surroundings. Premier Makwetla received the
humanitarian relief donations from a non-governmental organisation (NGO) called
Gift of the Givers to immediately intervene in the crisis. Families received
blankets, food parcels as part of the big consignment of 20 000 food parcels,
500 tents, new clothing and shoes and 20 000 blankets donated by the NGO.
Premier Makwetla, MEC Mashego-Dlamini and Thaba Chweu Local Municipal
authorities visited the area to meet the victims and destroyed structures. The
Premier has assured the public that the construction of a Provincial Disaster
management Centre will help attend to such crisis.
He says the province will also be developing a disaster management strategy
that will assist the province to deal with such situations. The relief aid will
also be sent to all the other municipalities which were affected by the veld
fires.
Premier Makwetla also confirmed that the province is engaging with the
Minister of Provincial and Local Government, Sydney Mufamadi to look at
possible ways to assist the affected area. He said all the required assistance
will be within the confines of government's operation. The latest reports
indicate that 10 people have died due to the fires, 37 400 hectares of
plantations and 15 000 hectares of grazing fields have been destroyed by the
fires.
Contact:
Simphiwe Kunene
082 413 3931
Ntime Sikhosana
082 496 6875
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Mpumalanga Provincial
Government
3 August 2007
