Govt needs R1.7bn to house flood victims

THE KZN government needs R1.7 billion to build thousands of permanent homes for victims of 2022 and this year’s floods on land donated by traditional leaders.

- BONGANI HANS

Some of the housing projects are already under way, and provincial Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma hopes that some families will have new permanent homes during the festive season.

Premier Thami Ntuli and Duma visited Cornubia, north of Durban, yesterday, to inspect 1,200 houses that were still under construction.

That project is set to cost about R600 million.

After the Cornubia inspection, Ntuli said there was light at the end of the tunnel for the flood victims who were currently living in inhumane conditions. He commended Dumas efforts.

“They told me that in December, 113 other victims will be relocated to Cornubia, and next December, everyone will have houses” said Ntuli.

Duma said R25 million had been allocated for constructing houses on 108 prepared sites.

However, the provincial government still faced the massive task of providing permanent homes for the 40 000 people displaced by the 2022 floods and the more than 11000 families left without shelter after this year’s heavy rains.

Most of the victims lived along the coast.