The National Treasury has approved R114 million in relief funding to the Western Cape for damages suffered during the September 2023 floods.
Also read: No funds to repair damage caused by floods, says NDMC
Anton Bredell, the MEC for the Western Cape Government’s environmental affairs and development planning department, says although the province applied for relief of more than R700 million, it is grateful for the amount allocated.
‘We appreciate this allocation, and I want to thank all the role players who worked together to do damage assessments, drafted the disaster classification application, and worked together with our colleagues at the National Disaster Management Centre to satisfy all the regulatory requirements to qualify for this disaster relief.’
‘It is important and necessary funding to help us deal with the significant impact that the flood had on our province.’
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The funds will be distributed across the following municipalities:
- 24 projects in Theewaterskloof
- 16 projects in Overstrand
- 11 projects in Stellenbosch
- 13 projects in Langeberg
- Six projects in the City of Cape Town
He adds that the intense flooding of 2023, coupled with the current wildfire season, is a ‘wakeup call’ to all levels of government. ‘A new mindset is needed for infrastructure development and how we interact with nature.’
‘We cannot repair roads and bridges to be washed away in the next flood. We must design and construct with the future in mind where we should anticipate more extreme weather events.’
The Department of Local Government is working with the above-mentioned municipalities to develop dedicated business plans for each of the identified repair projects.
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Also read:
NDMC declares Western Cape September floods a national disaster
Picture: JP Smith / Facebook
