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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Mr Nocks Seabi, and the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation), Mr Mxolisi Kaunda, have called for greater collaboration and a more agile response from all sectors of government amid the severe weather conditions affecting parts of the country.
 
The Chairpersons emphasised that, during this time of need, all spheres of government must intensify collaboration to ensure swift and decisive action to prevent loss of life and provide assistance where needed.
 
“We welcome the classification of the recent weather events as a national disaster in terms of Section 23(1)(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002). However, this classification should not merely be a matter of regulatory compliance, but an effective mechanism to unlock faster action and improved coordination,” said Mr Kaunda.
 
Mr Seabi emphasised that the current situation presents the Department of Human Settlements (DHS) with an opportunity to assess whether the reviewed Emergency Housing Fund is now sufficiently responsive to the realities on the ground.
 
“The committee had previously raised concerns that the fund was not agile enough to respond to emerging realities. Centralisation and a lack of alignment between municipalities and national government resulted in delays caused by slow verification processes. We hope that the review will lead to a more responsive fund capable of assisting affected communities during this difficult period,” said Mr Seabi.
 
Both Chairpersons called on communities to heed government advisories to ensure their safety and the preservation of life. They also stressed the importance of a whole-of-government approach, urging sister departments such as the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Social Development and the Department of Health to make their services and programmes readily available to affected communities.
 
In the spirit of ubuntu, the Chairpersons further called on businesses, non-governmental organisations and individuals who are able to contribute assistance of any kind to support those affected by the severe weather conditions.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the chairperson of the portfolio committee on Human Settlements, Nocks Seabi and the chairperson of the Select committee on COGTA Mxolisi Kaunda