R433m relief funds for drought

MINISTER of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Zweli Mkhize announced that R433.52 million would be made available as immediate disaster relief funding for drought for the three most affected provinces, namely the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape.

Of this amount, R348.85m is to be transferred in the 2017/18 financial year, with the R84.68m transferred in the 2018/19 financial year.

Last month, Mkhize on behalf of the inter-ministerial task team on water, declared the prevailing water crisis affecting multiple provinces a national state of disaster.

“The reclassification of the drought as a national disaster by the Head of the National Disaster Management Centre, under Government Notice 107/2017 published in Government Gazette 41439 on February 13, 2018, designated the primary responsibility for the coordination and management of the disaster to the national executive who must act in close cooperation with the other spheres of government to deal with the disaster and its consequences,” a statement read.

Mkhize emphasised that the declaration of a state of disaster at any level was not primarily aimed at requesting funding, but it is aimed at activating extra-ordinary measures, which might include funding, based on the need and other relevant conditions to address the impact of such a disaster. – African News Agency (ANA)

MKHIZE SAID THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF DISASTER WASN’T PRIMARILY AIMED AT GETTING FUNDING