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The Department of Human Settlements intends to partner with traditional leaders to identify disaster-resilient areas suitable for human settlements development, using geo-mapping.

Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi made the announcement at meeting held with Members of Executive Councils (MINMEC) responsible for Human Settlements across the country on Thursday.

Kubayi said the collaborative initiative with traditional leaders aims to enable traditional leaders to identify safe land parcels for settlement purposes and avoid disaster-prone areas in vulnerable provinces.

She said the department intends to pilot this approach in rural KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo Provinces, paving the way for proactive disaster mitigation and sustainable human settlements.

“By leveraging geo-mapping technology, the department aims to inform decision makers to make better land allocation decisions, ensuring the safety and well-being of communities. We cannot be chasing after or reacting to disasters.

“We must be proactive and put measures in place to mitigate future disasters. Climate change is upon us, and we should be better prepared and be able to respond accordingly,” Kubayi said.

The Minister convened the meeting with the MECs, focusing on the 2024/2025 human settlements priorities.

This was the second meeting in the seventh administration included the Mayors and Members of Mayoral Committees (MMCs) for Human Settlements in metropolitan municipalities and representatives from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to tackle key critical areas.

These include prioritising vulnerable groups in housing allocation, the Title Deeds Restoration Programme, housing for military veterans, emergency housing, and an update on the Human Settlements White Paper.

The meeting discussed the finalisation of the White Paper and MINMEC was informed that extensive consultations have been undertaken to ensure that all sectors of the community took part in shaping the new policy.

Approved by Cabinet in 2023 for public consultation, the draft White Paper seeks to address the prevailing gaps and inconsistencies in the housing and human settlements sector by responding comprehensively to contemporary sector reforms.

The meeting heard that sectors including NGOs, civil society, labour, academics, developers and contractors, and identified government departments were consulted.

The draft White Paper will be presented to Cabinet for approval, and once approved, a nationwide awareness campaign will be launched to educate the public on the policy's key points through various media channels.

The Minister also underscored the importance of building integrated communities including rural areas, saying human settlements should be where people are, feel safe and have access to economic opportunities and social amenities.

“Accordingly, the government has availed resources to build social amenities in rural areas including community halls and other facilities to encourage development within the communities,” the Minister explained.

Assisting those affected by disasters

On emergency response to people affected by disasters, MINMEC welcomed a briefing on the Emergency Housing Framework developed to ensure immediate response to people affected by disasters.

MINMEC stressed the need to clarify roles and responsibilities since the national department has assumed responsibility.

The meeting adopted a proposal outlining disaster response protocols, dividing responsibilities between the National Department of Human Settlements, provinces, and metros based on disaster severity.

“Significant and severe disasters, affecting 51 to 100 or more households, will be jointly responded to by the National Department and provinces/metropolitan areas, while minimal and minor disasters, impacting 1 to 50 households, will be addressed by provinces working with metros,” Kubayi said.

In response to disasters, the Emergency Housing Guidelines provide four key interventions, and these include restoration, rebuilding, relocation, and repairs.

MINMEC emphasised the need to address historic disasters that occurred from 2019 to April 2024, which have affected numerous households, with estimated damages totalling R1 billion. – SAnews.gov.za

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