The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has lamented “a lack of political will and government red tape” for delayed state response to the devastating floods in parts of the country earlier this year.
“We’ve warned from the beginning, the old issue of political will to implement and the red tape that prevents people, prevents officials from implementing speedily and rapidly to the needs and the crisis,” SAHRC commissioner Chris Nissen said on Monday.
“This is what we found everywhere we went, in all the areas in KwaZulu-Natal, the issues about water and other issues.”
The commission was briefing parliament’s ad hoc joint committee on flood disaster relief and recovery about its work to monitor government’s flood relief efforts.
Floods killed hundreds of people and destroyed homes and infrastructure worth billions of rand in KZN, Eastern Cape and North West in April. The commission told MPs government had been slow in restoring what was lost.
“We have been warning, as this commission, that you cannot, after six or seven months after a disaster, people are still in halls, people are still looking for water in Tongaat and those areas.
“In any disaster there must be political will to say, before something breaks out let’s assist our people,” he said.
The availability of water and water infrastructure in the municipalities affected remains a concern. The commission singled out Tongaat in KZN, in particular, as facing an acute crisis.
Commissioner Philile Ntuli said other concerns included the slow delivery of housing in rural areas and the recovery of the remains of those who died or disappeared during the floods.
“We also uncovered that the remains of the damages to the graves have also not been properly attended to. There are also unclaimed bodies in mortuaries.”
Other concerns included the effect on people with disabilities and the elderly, limited availability of healthcare services during disasters and a lack of psychosocial support.
In the Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi and OR Tambo municipalities the commission found damage related to housing, water and sanitation and roads and infrastructure.
It noted government procurement processes were slow in comparison to the private sector and damage to infrastructure may not have been caused by the most recent floods as residents indicated that in some instances water and sanitation and roads were damaged long before April. The floods may have only worsened the situation.
The dependence by municipalities and departments on disaster grants was a concern and there was no strategic planning for climate change.
The commission held an inquiry into access to water in various districts of KZN from August 15 to 19. It is yet to publish its findings.
The commission also highlighted the impact on the right to education as more than 500 schools in KZN were severely damaged.
Some pupils missed out on school due to the loss of their homes, loss of school uniforms and basic school necessities. Pinetown, Ugu and uMlazi were worst affected.
TimesLIVE
Floods: Lack of political will, red tape a concern for SAHRC as restoration moves at snail's pace
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has lamented “a lack of political will and government red tape” for delayed state response to the devastating floods in parts of the country earlier this year.
“We’ve warned from the beginning, the old issue of political will to implement and the red tape that prevents people, prevents officials from implementing speedily and rapidly to the needs and the crisis,” SAHRC commissioner Chris Nissen said on Monday.
“This is what we found everywhere we went, in all the areas in KwaZulu-Natal, the issues about water and other issues.”
The commission was briefing parliament’s ad hoc joint committee on flood disaster relief and recovery about its work to monitor government’s flood relief efforts.
Floods killed hundreds of people and destroyed homes and infrastructure worth billions of rand in KZN, Eastern Cape and North West in April. The commission told MPs government had been slow in restoring what was lost.
“We have been warning, as this commission, that you cannot, after six or seven months after a disaster, people are still in halls, people are still looking for water in Tongaat and those areas.
“In any disaster there must be political will to say, before something breaks out let’s assist our people,” he said.
The availability of water and water infrastructure in the municipalities affected remains a concern. The commission singled out Tongaat in KZN, in particular, as facing an acute crisis.
Commissioner Philile Ntuli said other concerns included the slow delivery of housing in rural areas and the recovery of the remains of those who died or disappeared during the floods.
“We also uncovered that the remains of the damages to the graves have also not been properly attended to. There are also unclaimed bodies in mortuaries.”
Other concerns included the effect on people with disabilities and the elderly, limited availability of healthcare services during disasters and a lack of psychosocial support.
In the Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi and OR Tambo municipalities the commission found damage related to housing, water and sanitation and roads and infrastructure.
It noted government procurement processes were slow in comparison to the private sector and damage to infrastructure may not have been caused by the most recent floods as residents indicated that in some instances water and sanitation and roads were damaged long before April. The floods may have only worsened the situation.
The dependence by municipalities and departments on disaster grants was a concern and there was no strategic planning for climate change.
The commission held an inquiry into access to water in various districts of KZN from August 15 to 19. It is yet to publish its findings.
The commission also highlighted the impact on the right to education as more than 500 schools in KZN were severely damaged.
Some pupils missed out on school due to the loss of their homes, loss of school uniforms and basic school necessities. Pinetown, Ugu and uMlazi were worst affected.
TimesLIVE
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