THE government has unveiled a jaw dropping R1,844 billion disaster relief allocation, which will spark hope amid the disaster crisis in seven major provinces.
The allocation of R 1,844 billion highlights the government's urgent need to, among other things, repair infrastructure and focus on ensuring access to clean, reliable water and essential government facilities for affected communities.
According to the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Thembi Nkadimeng the allocation of these funds was approved by the National Treasury for the year 2023 and 2024 will address the effects of disasters across Western Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, KZN, and Gauteng.
She revealed this on Tuesday, 9 April, when she released the details of the funds disbursed to municipalities and provinces for disaster interventions.
Nkadimeng said in the distribution of funds at least a total of 199 projects across various municipalities in the listed provinces were approved with a grand total allocation of R372 001 000.
While billions of Rands are set to be used for the betterment of communities, one cannot shy away from the possibilities of mismanagement of funds.
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However, Nkadimeng assured the media that this allocation comes with stringent measures.
"The allocation of disaster grants comes with stringent reporting and compliance measures to ensure transparency and accountability in utilising funds. Furthermore, to oversee the implementation of projects and ensure adherence to quality standards," she said.
The government's choice to focus on the listed province comes after it saw the dire state the provinces were left in after suffering disasters.
Among those hit the hardest was KwaZulu-Natal, which experienced devastating floods in 2022 triggered by severe weather events. And more recently, in September 2023 when 11 people were confirmed dead in events directly linked to the storm, which left at least structural, crop, and soil damage across the hardest-hit parts of the Western Cape.
According to Nkadimeng, these disasters have not only left a trail of destruction in their wake but have also broken family structures, disrupted communities, endangered livelihoods, and put a lot of strain on our existing infrastructure.
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