Committee concludes oversight visit to Mpumalanga

Parliament’s Ad Hoc Joint Committee on Flood Disaster Relief and Recovery has expressed satisfaction with progress made by Mpumalanga municipalities that were hit by floods last year.

The committee met with the mayors, councillors and senior management of the Lekwa Local Municipality in Gert Sibande District Municipality and Mbombela Local Municipality in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality. The committee also received comprehensive progress reports from the provincial departments of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Social Development.

This as the committee concluded a two-day oversight visit to the province on Friday.

In a statement, the committee said the reports gave a provincial overview of interventions to address infrastructure damage in the municipalities and the humanitarian support offered to victims of the flooding.

“While the committee was generally satisfied with the progress, it also believes there is room for improvement. Some of the work done in the two municipalities included the rebuilding of a bridge, restoring water pump stations and repairing roads washed away during the floods.”

The provincial authorities told the committee that the flooding has raised the importance of adhering to the Spatial Land Use Management Act, as most of the affected houses were built on floodplains.

The committee also advised the provincial government and the municipalities to ensure that their disaster management plans incorporate the impact of climate change.

“We are satisfied with the progress of the intervention process. We now have a better appreciation and sense of what is happening. The reports that were presented in the meetings are a true reflection of the situation on the ground,” said Jomo Nyambi, the co-chairperson of the committee. – SAnews.gov.za