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The Ad Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery today concluded a two-day oversight visit to Mpumalanga municipalities affected by last year’s floods. 

The committee met with the mayors, councillors and senior management of Lekwa Local Municipality in Gert Sibande District Municipality and Mbombela Local Municipality in Ehlanzeni District Municipality.The Ad Hoc committee also received comprehensive progress reports from the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the MEC for Social Development.

The reports gave a provincial overview of interventions to address infrastructure damage in the municipalities and the humanitarian support offered to victims of the flooding.

While the committee was generally satisfied with the progress, it also believes there is room for improvement. Some of the work done in the two municipalities included the rebuilding of a bridge,restoring water pump stations and repairing roads washed away during the floods.

The provincial authorities told the committee that the flooding has raised the importance of adhering to the Spatial Land Use Management Act, as most of the affected houses were built on floodplains.

The committee also advised the provincial government and the municipalities to ensure that their disaster management plans incorporate the impact of climate change.

“We are satisfied with the progress of the intervention process. We now have a better appreciation and sense of what is happening. The reports that were presented in the meetings are a true reflection of the situation on the ground,” said Mr Jomo Nyambi, the co-Chairperson of the Ad Hoc committee.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communications Services on behalf of the co-chairperson of the AD HOC Joint committee on flood disaster relief and recovery, Jomo Nyambii