Kouga council passes disaster area motion
THE Kouga municipal council passed a recommendation during a special council meeting yesterday to have the municipality declared a disaster area after the fires that tore through thousands of hectares of land.
The recommendation was unopposed at the brief meeting.
Mayor Elza van Lingen urged all municipal departments to compile disaster reports urgently to submit to the provincial government for approval.
The move comes about two weeks after the municipality applied to the province for drought-relief funding, which Van Lingen said had yet to be approved.
“I pray the provincial government will see and understand the extent of the damage the fire has caused and our current water situation,” she said.
“We hope and pray both applications are approved.
“The extent of the damage is being identified.
“We have received reports of more than 11 000ha being burnt in the Longmore Forest.”
She said the emergency services would start soon with mop-up operations from the municipal border, along the N2, in a westerly direction.
Asked how the disaster funding would be spent should it be approved, Van Lingen said: “There are several infrastructure issues due to the fires.
“Neighbouring municipalities also need to be paid for their assistance and there will be a big cleanup effort.
“We are advising motorists on the N2 to drive with caution as fences had to be cut during the fires to free livestock and game. These animals are now wandering along the N2.”
She thanked businesses, residents, farmers, neighbouring municipalities and emergency services for their fire-fighting efforts and donations.