R75m to be spent on repairs after Cape storm, fires
THE Western Cape government has released R75 million to kick-start rebuilding and repairing areas damaged by the Cape storm and the Garden Route fires.
In a special cabinet meeting in Knysna yesterday, Premier Helen Zille said the allocation of the funds to assist with the disasters and municipalities worst affected by the drought was done in terms of section 25 of the Public Finance Management Act.
Finance MEC Ivan Meyer was authorised to release funds from the Provincial Revenue Fund which allows expenditure in “exceptional circumstances”.
The province also petitioned for extra funding from the National Disaster Management Centre and National Treasury.
The R75m will be allocated as follows: R5m to Public Works and Transport to fix roads; R800 000 for the transport cost of the emergency evacuations; R15m for repairing storm- and fire-damaged schools; R1.2m for storm- and fire-damaged health fa- cilities; and R15m for repair of the Swartland Hospital.
Other allocations include R7.5m for Human Setttlements to assist with housing displaced people, especially in rural areas; R5m for Social Development to provide emergency humanitarian support; R15m to Local Government for disaster management co-ordination, drought assistance and assisting municipalities; R5.5m to the agricultural sector; R3m for Environmental Affairs and Development Planning for CapeNature and Working on Fire; and R2m for Community Safety to manage security at care facilities.
Zille and Meyer thanked all disaster relief crews from different rescue agencies, Eskom, Telkom, and four major banks, cellphone companies, major retail stores, food companies and DHL, which delivered 284 tons of aid to Knysna.
The donations given by people had been exceptional and included R700 000 collected at Old Mutual, a whopping R10m from Standard Bank for Cape storm and fire relief, R25 000 in goods from the Israeli Embassy and nearly R1m from the South African National Zakah Fund.
On-line giving was also generous, such as the R240 678.48 raised by Finova Consultants, who set up the Knysna Fires Trust Fund; and a fifth generation Knysna-born Natalie Grundlingh now living in the UK who raised £22 191 (R371 255.43) – over £17 000 more than her goal of £5 000.
All on-line fund-raisers were sending the money to care organisations working on disaster relief efforts they had partnered with.
Western Cape MECs toured the fire-ravaged Knysna area yesterday. President Jacob Zuma and cabinet ministers are due to visit the area today.