Flooding in informal-settlements: briefing by Cape Town Unicity; Annual Report: adoption

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Meeting report

HOUSING PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
13 November 2002
FLOODING IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS: BRIEFING BY CAPE TOWN UNICITY; ANNUAL REPORT: ADOPTION

Chairperson:
Ms Kota Z (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Flood Mitigation presentation
Committee Annual Report (document is awaited)

SUMMARY

The Committee adopted its annual report. The Committee was also briefed by the Cape Town Unicity on flooding in the informal settlements and the measures that have been put in place over the past two years in trying to deal with over-flooding in the informal settlement.

MINUTES
Mr Bederson: from the Cape Town Unicity Council, informed the Committee that there has been extensive flooding in informal settlements over the past two years. As a result a Task Team was established to do the following functions. To resolve any emergency that can arise, to declare certain areas national disaster areas and finally to assist the Unicity in helping flood victims. One of the strategies employed by this Task Team was to develop a plan of "eventuality" for any flooding that might arise in the near future. The task team was constantly communicating with the South African weather bureau offices to determine any possibility of water rising before flooding occurs. At present a joint operating centre with a reporting line had been established to help flood victims. He informed the Committee that all the moneys received from the Provincial Administration have been spent on the regular relief programmes, which includes building of storm water drainage in low lying areas and creating plastic coating. Certain sites have been acquired as temporary sites for all the flood victims. Mr Bederson was certain that all the measures put in place by the Cape Town Unicity would limit the impact of the floods in the informal settlement.

Discussion
Mr Herandien (NNP) conceded that it seemed as if the unicity council was still battling with the problems they faced in the previous year. To him it was still not clear how the government money has been spent on the relief programmes. He asked the presenters to provide the full specifications of the sites acquired for the purposes of placing flood victims and whether the Unicity council had overcome all the political issues around the acquisition of these sites. He also asked for clarity on why the Unicity had not made contributions towards flood relief out of its budget.

Mr Bederson (Unicity) said that it was incorrect to say that the Unicity council had not made any contribution towards flood relief. The loan finance was the money they normally receive from the city reserves. However the money had to be paid back at special rates. On the other hand the special account, which belongs to the Cape Town Unicity, could only be used for housing programmes and not for flood relief.

Mr B Douglas (IFP) requested the presenters to submit a breakdown report on how the money was spent on the in situ relief.

Mr Motsitsi (ANC) concurred with Mr Douglas, saying that there was a need for a report on how the money was spent on the in-situ relief.

A Member asked whether the Unicity Council had a plan for an integrated housing development for all people irrespective of their race.

Mr Bederson (Unicity) informed the Committee that the Cape Town Unicity was planning to embark on a housing programme in the existing housing scheme.

Mr Schneemann (ANC) was of the view that there was a need to do an in loco inspection in all the areas that were affected by floods and assess whether the Unicity has put relief programmes in place.

Mr Skhosana (ANC) proposed that the Unicity deals with the problem of over-flooding on a permanent basis rather than setting up emergency relief programmes every year.

Mr Bederson explained that the programme of action was already in place to move people to high-lying areas. However, the bigger problem for them was to prevent people from re-inhabiting the deserted low-lying areas. That prevented them from consistently upgrading the high-lying areas. They have put community committees in place to monitor the deserted sites.

The meeting was adjourned.

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