The municipality has identified 115 houses that require asbestos replacement, 17 families that will need temporary residential units, 110 families that require building material and 271 families that need roof tile replacement.
PRETORIA: The KwaZulu-Natal local government will on Friday launch a project worth over R15 million aimed at refurbishing houses after violent storms hit areas around Umsunduzi Local Municipality during the festive season.
KZN human settlements MEC Jomo Sibiya said he met with the leadership of Umgungundlovu District and Umsunduzi Local Municipality to discuss a package of intervention to assist the affected communities.
This is after severe weather patterns accompanied by heavy storms ravaged the area between December 22 and 30 and left several communities destitute.
“When we visited some of the families on the 1st of January, with local leadership, we committed to ensure that we move with speed to turn around the situation.
“We do acknowledge the fact that the gains we have made in our quest to ensure speed and efficiency in the delivery of human settlements is threatened by recurring storms and floods,” Sibiya added.
The impact of heavy storms and floods includes the destruction social infrastructure such as schools, public health institutions and other government infrastructure.
Sibiya said the department set aside over R15 million to assist identified households in Msunduzi. The funding will go towards:
– 115 houses that needs asbestos replacement;
– 17 families that are going to need Temporary Residential Units;
– There are 110 families that needs building material supply;
– There are 271 families that needs roof tile replacement only.
“We are fully aware that there are communities in various municipalities that have been affected. We offer to continue to respond with the greater commitment and urgency to rid this province of human suffering,” Sibiya said.
IOL