By Jonk wa Mashamba
news@alexreporter.co.za
The Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Ms Pamela Tshwete, has directed a team to work with the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Human Settlements to provide urgent relief to victims of the storm which destroyed housing structures in various wards of the Mhlontlo and King Sabata Local Municipalities.
The storm left hundreds of families homeless while six people have, regrettably, lost their lives after houses collapsed on them. Additionally, no less than 19 people have been transferred to the hospital for treatment of various injuries.
“We send our condolences to the families of the deceased, and losing a family member or loved ones always leave a lifetime mark and a wound that takes time to heal.
“We are a government that cares and will do everything in power to reach those families that need us the most at this time”, Deputy Minister Tshwete.
An assessment of a disaster has so far revealed that affected families need help to find temporary shelter, food, clothing and blankets.
Accordingly, Tshwete has called on all South Africans and the business community to reach out and partner with the government in its efforts to provide assistance to affected households.
She visited the villages of Xhongorha and Sigubudwini with the Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Human Settlements MEC, Nonceba Kontsiwe.
In her interaction with the communities, Tshwete said: “We are deploying national and provincial teams to urgently assess the damage so that necessary programmes in response to this disaster can take place. We want to bring normality to the lives of people of these areas as quickly as possible.”
