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The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Sihle Zikalala and his Finance MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, to urgently release R350 million to start addressing the vast humanitarian challenges following the recent devastating floods.

These funds are currently sitting in the province’s contingency reserve.

The appeal comes as KZN continues to wait for R1 billion in relief aid promised by national government, with the Premier confirming this during a briefing of the National Assembly joint ad hoc committee and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) held on Saturday.

During the same briefing, the Premier also stated that by releasing the entire R350 million, the province would not have anything left in its coffers for future disasters and that it needed to protect itself against any future crises that may occur.

The Premier needs to get his priorities straight. What is the purpose of a contingency fund if it is not used during a time of crisis? KZN’s people are resilient but they need help right now.

With an estimated R17 billion required to address rebuilding and social relief, every cent matters. Yet there has been a lengthy to and fro between national and provincial Treasury as to whether R1 billion is coming to KZN.

While it now seems that the money will be made available, there is a drawn out process involved, making it all the more important that KZN use its current contingency fund in the interim.

Our province cannot wait another day. There are still search and rescue operations to try to find 88 people who are still missing. Many who escaped with their lives have lost their homes and are holed up in community halls. Those who were fortunate enough not to lose everything, are struggling with the after-effects of two major floods, within a period of just six weeks.

The response by KZN’s ANC-run provincial government to the recent devastation, has been less than satisfactory. The Premier and his executive need to stop sitting on the fence and start putting KZN’s people first.

Issued by Francois Rodgers, MPL - Leader of the DA in the KZN Legislature/ DA KZN Spokesperson on Finance