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The Ad Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery believes that the Port St. Johns Municipality needs further implementation to reach the full project targets in repairing the damage caused by the floods of 2022.
 
The committee began its two-day oversight visit in Port St John’s in the Eastern Cape Province yesterday where it received a report to the effect that the municipality was allocated R13.3 million for the 2022/23 financial year to implement four projects. These projects include the Military Camp Concrete Road, Port St. Johns Town Storm Water, Gabelana Access Road and Aggate Terrace Main Road with a sharp focus on storm storm water, erosion protection and concrete works. The committee heard that the municipality has spent R13 026.90 of the allocated amount for these projects. However, the municipality further indicates that the allocation is far below the R197 million needed to deal with the disaster adequately.
 
The municipality has been allocated R20.5 million for the 2023/24 financial year to implement nine projects – the Nyakeni Bridge, Snangwana Bridge, CBD Roads, Zwelitsha-Mthumbane Access Roads, Nonyevu Access Road, Ezintakumbeni-Dubulweni Bridge, Buthulo Church to Ngqwaleni Bridge, Dedeni to Ekuhumeni Bridge and Gabelana to Diphini Bridge. This amount is far below the R209 million, which the municipality says is required to deal comprehensively with the aftermath of the disaster.
 
The committee has requested the municipality to submit a detailed report of the damage that was caused by the floods that occurred last year and the subsequent floods that occurred in April this year and the cost of each project. The committee has requested this information because it realised that the municipality did not use the full allocation for the four projects because the remaining amount of R273 320.08 was insufficient for other flood-related projects.
 
The committee believes that a detailed report will assist in understanding the extent of the damage caused by the floods in the Port St. Johns area and the interventions required. It will also assist the municipality in receiving the required financial support from the provincial and national Treasury.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Co-chairperson of the Ad Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery, Jomo Nyambi