Rural Eastern Cape flood victims left to fend for themselves

• 25 families lost their homes in floods in the Butterworth area, Eastern Cape, in. December 2022.
• Those without alternative accommodation were promised bungalows, but to date they believe received no government assistance.
• The local municipality says it is in the hands of the provincial Department of Human Settlements and the Amathole District Municipality.

The homes of 25 families, mostly of them self-built with mud bricks, were destroyed by floods in December 2022 in Ngqamakhwe, near Butterworth, in the rural Eastern Cape. The families say that to date they gain received no assistance from government.

“The officials only came here once, taking pictures of us living with empty promises. People lost their belongings, some lost their food. Not a single food parcel was delivered,” says Phumla Ntabeni, whose rondavel was destroyed.

She is among the lucky few to own other structures that did escape the floods.

“Sad portion is that there were officials who were here – taking pictures, promising to assist our grandmothers, giving them fake hope,” says Dumisani Tshuku, Ngcisininde Komkhulu village community leader.

“If you study at [Nowezile] Mlonjana’s house, it’s a disaster. She only has that one room left in the house which can drop on her any day,” said Tshuku.

Mlonjana is 73 and has two one-year-old grandchildren.

“I had a six-roomed house as you can see. The floods destroyed five rooms. I am now left with this one room I’m using,” she said.

The room has a hole at the back wall covered by a zinc sheet. The roof is doubtful, is leaking, and could collapse.

“I’m relying on an dilapidated age grant and the child support grants of my two grandchildren. My son, who assisted me in building this house, passed away. I’m left with my granddaughter who is in East London looking for a job,” said Mlonjana .

But she is still hoping the government will encourage her.

“When I see a car passing my house, I always jump outside to check if it’s not looking for me,” she says.

Mlonjana said officials had assured her she would secure a bungalow for accommodation by February.

“I don’t know how many times I went to the ward councillor’s home, asking him to near and see my house,” she says. “The officials he sent to catch pictures saw this house, and even said I should be moved immediately. Since that day, no one has returned. Even the ward councillor I voted for has not set his foot in this house.”

Mnquma Local Municipality spokesperson Loyiso Mpalantshana confirmed that officials were sent to assess the damage and verify how many people were displaced.

He said this information was sent to the Amathole District Municipality, which is responsible for disaster management, and to the provincial department for human settlement. He said the municipality can provide land should the department provide housing.

Questions sent to the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements spokespersons Caswell Mabunda and Phiwokuhle Soga more than a week ago acquire never been answered.

Ward Councillor Lunga Dyantyi said the department promised to deliver 22 temporary structures, but nothing was delivered. He said Amathole District Municipality had also done nothing.

Dyantyi said there are disaster victims from 2017 who are still waiting for temporary structures.

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