20 July 2000
The Anfrie Trust Building 535 Proes Street Pretoria Tel (012) 321 2050/301 1000 Fax (012) 301 1010/1012
The Command Centre for flood reconstruction is officially handing over the emergency shelter site on the grounds of Leeuwkop Prison to the Gauteng Provincial Government on Thursday 20 July 2000. The site, made up of 130 completed temporary units out of a total of 200 that were originally planned for, is an attempt at offering relief to the unfortunate Alexandra flood victims who were displaced by the summer floods earlier this year.
Presently the victims of the floods are housed in flimsy tents in the unhealthiest conditions with no ablution facilities, where a number of families share one tent.
These flood victims have been prevented from moving into the temporary shelters by a court interdict brought by the Kyalami Ridge Environmental Association together with Professor Cheryl Loots. Calling the temporary facility an informal settlement, they have managed to temporarily halt both further construction and occupation by the homeless Alexandrans. The Government is still pursuing the matter through the courts.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Ms Lindiwe Sisulu who is responsible for The Command Centre said, "The Weather Bureau is warning South Africans to brace themselves for another cold front from today, and the Pretoria City Council has also given out guidelines to avoid swamping the electricity supply in anticipation of the surge in demand. These people, whose only crime is being poor, are living in tents under appalling conditions. They are at the mercy of the elements, and are being deprived of temporary shelter by the selfish interests of the few who will be snug in their warm homes this winter. It is a matter of great dismay that the government can be prevented from looking after its most vulnerable citizens in this manner."
The decision to officially hand over the Leeuwkop Temporary Shelter site over to the Gauteng Provincial Government was taken by the inter-ministerial Emergency Reconstruction Committee. "Ultimately, the responsibility for housing belongs to the provinces and their local government structures. It is with this in mind, together with The Command Centre's limited lifespan of six months that we are handing this over to the Gauteng Province. Our work is far from over, and the reconstruction and relief requirements of other adversely affected provinces like the Northern Province and Kwa-Zulu Natal need our urgent attention," said the Deputy Minister.
The Command Centre has prioritised the providing of temporary shelter throughout the country. As t!he Department of Housing provides permanent shelter it is important that the hapless victims of the flood are accommodated in decent temporary shelter. Temporary shelter is being provided for all victims throughout the country. The accompanying human suffering caused by homelessness is beyond measure and it has been the President's express wish that these should be housed before winter finally sets in.
There has been overwhelming support for the Command Centre's provision of temporary shelter from various organisations including Escom, Spoornet, Iscor and the Red Cross. Rapport has provided us with a donation to provide blankets to the victims. Dr Aggrey Klaaste, Chairman of the National Emergency Relief Fund (NERF) will announce measures that the NERF will take in assisting the government to deliver succour to the needy.
Issued by: Zodwa Lallie
The Command Centre Communications
082 681 6233
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