KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, says government has put in place a practical plan to move those affected by the floods out of community care centres by the end of November 2022.
Giving a progress report on interventions and recovery since the April/May flood disaster in the province, Dube-Ncube announced that the number of community care centres has been reduced from 135 to 80.
“As was announced, the national Department of Human Settlements has since granted a total amount of R325 764 000 to the provincial department, from the Provincial Emergency Housing Grant, for the provision of emergency housing solutions.
“This has enabled the delivery of Temporary Residential Units (TRUs), which currently stand at 1 315 units provincially. Out of the 1 315 TRUs complete to date, 1 202 have been occupied, leaving 113 unoccupied,” Dube-Ncube.
Eighty shelters linked to land parcels
The Premier said while all the remaining 80 shelters have now been linked to land parcels, the land parcels are at different stages of readiness.
“We appreciate the approval of the Rental Assistance Scheme and Temporary Residential Accommodation, which will help us achieve the eradication of all mass care centres,” Dube-Ncube said.
She said the plan to get people out of community care centres going forward will include eight land parcels, which include cotton lands that are at site clearance stage with 1 064 TRUs; and the acquisition of La Mercy land, which is now at an advanced stage, with all the necessary approvals being secured and sale agreements being circulated.
A specialised technical team has been established to focus on the programme of getting people out of community care centres and all mop up operations.
Families moved from Truro Hall to dignified accommodation
Dube-Ncube said 47 families living at Truro Hall Community Care Centre will be moved to a dignified transitional accommodation, where each family will have a room of their own.
“The 50-room building will, from this week, become a new home for the families who lived in Truro Hall. Today’s closure of the Truro Hall Community Care Centre represents the progress we are making as government to help people rebuild their lives,” Dube-Ncube said.
The facility, which is a former student housing complex, has 50 lockable rooms, with two or three beds each; CCTV cameras, hot water, a perimeter fence, security gate, and biometrics.
The complex also has a kitchen with four four-plate stoves, a lounge, kids’ homework area, ensuite and common bathrooms, and a guardhouse.
The Premier said the Department of Social Development will issue vouchers to the families during the course of the week to assist in procuring food items.
“As we relocate these families here, earthworks and construction is underway… where the Department of Human Settlement and Public Works is building 80 new state-of-the-art three-story buildings that will become permanent homes for our citizens whose lives and livelihoods were devastated by the floods,” the Premier said.
