South Africa’s Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has disbursed R1.444 billion ($77.3 million) to over 60 municipalities and provincial sector departments across five provinces to aid in the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by natural disasters, including floods and fires.
Announcing the funding during a media briefing, Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa emphasized that the allocation serves as a disaster relief fund for 2025, benefiting municipalities in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Free State.
“This money is intended, as it has been transferred to these municipalities, to immediately bring relief and also allow the municipalities to undertake the reconstruction of the damage to the structures that were destroyed by the floods in previous years,” Hlabisa stated.
Disaster Toll and Climate Change Impact
The announcement follows the devastating loss of 40 lives due to natural disasters across the country, with 24 fatalities recorded in KwaZulu-Natal alone.
Hlabisa highlighted the role of climate change in worsening disaster risks but also pointed to unsustainable practices and inadequate planning as contributing factors.
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“While climate change has exacerbated some of these risks, we also confront challenges stemming from unsustainable practices and inadequate planning. Acknowledging these factors allows us to pursue proactive measures and solutions that can lessen future risks,” he said.
He further explained that while the government has classified these disasters, they have not yet been declared a national state of disaster.
“These classifications enable prompt intervention, but the Disaster Management Act also allows the minister to declare a national state of disaster if special circumstances arise,” Hlabisa clarified.
Warning Against Misuse of Funds
The minister also raised concerns about the misuse of disaster relief funds by some municipalities, warning that funds meant for infrastructure repair were being diverted for other projects.
“If any diversion or mismanagement occurs in the monies that have been transferred to our municipalities, consequence management will follow,” he warned.
