Statement by Bongani Maqungwana NEC Member UDM

The United Democratic Movement (UDM) supports the notion of providing national assistance to provinces affected by natural disasters, as seen in the recent devastating storm and flash floods in the Western Cape. Premier Alan Winde had reported that the provincial government is in the process of identifying citizens who had lost their shelters and access to basic amenities during the storm and that municipalities would now start with damage assessments, with the support of the Provincial Disaster Management Centre and relevant government departments.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) government has however dismally failed to build decent and safe housing for people living in informal settlements in the Western Cape. The backlogs and imbalances of the past, where infrastructure is concerned, remain a stark reality on the Cape Flats. These storms happen every year in the province, and the marginalised always suffer the consequences. The DA’s infrastructure development agenda is mainly focused on the suburban areas, leaving poor people subjected to stay in high-risk places that are easily affected by storms and fire outbreaks. This could have not caused such dire damage, had the DA government prioritised safe and dignified living place for the poor.

The UDM urges the National Disaster Management Centre to prioritise allocating funds to the Western Cape government for the rescue and assistance of thousands of now homeless individuals affected by the floods. Residents of informal settlements, often overlooked, are left to rebuild their shelters on their own. Immediate release of funds by the National Disaster Management Centre is essential to ensure that affected individuals have access to dignified living spaces.

Also, we call for the National Department of Basic Education to assist with funds to repair the 132 schools that had reported storm damage. Given the magnitude of the storm damage, the National Treasury should also consider allocating funds to rebuild the damaged infrastructure around the Western Cape.

Issued by:
Cllr Bongani Maqungwana
Member of the UDM National Executive Committee
United Democratic Movement Western Cape