THE National Department of Human Settlements (NDHS) will spend R22 million in Temporary Residential Units (TRUs) following the December 2024 and January disasters in Mbhashe and Amahlathi Local municipalities.
Mthatha Express reported that Amathole District Municipality (ADM) was classified as a disaster area by the national government after assessments by relevant authorities. The damages assessed at the time amounted to R57 million. In Ngqushwa Local Municipality 148 families were left homeless while 83 households were completely destroyed in Amahlathi, Raymond Mhlaba, and Mnquma and Mbhashe Local municipalities.
ADM executive mayor, Anele Ntsangani, the district authority’s disaster management centre and NDHS had completed the verification of the disaster report.
“On February 7 ADM officially handed over appointed contractors to begin constructing temporary residential units (TRUs) for affected families. A total of 217 TRUs were allocated to Mbhashe Local Municipality while Amahlathi Local Municipality received eight TRUs, with construction set for completion by the end of March 2025. Intervention for other affected municipalities during this time will also be announced soon,” Ntsangani said.
The executive mayor said the TRUs were a property of the NDHS and when the families recovered, the structures would be given to needy families that will be identified by local municipalities. Ward councillors would help identify such families. “The amount is determined by the amount of TRUs approved per local municipality. For example, the quantum for a TRU is R97 684 per TRU and the overall cost for Mbhashe is R21 197 428 while for Amahlathi it’s R781 472. TRUs will be built on the same yard of the affected,” Ntsangani said.
Municipal spokesperson, Sisa Msiwa, said the district authority welcomed the interventions to help the affected families. “The delivery of the TRUs puts emphasis on the importance of providing immediate relief to those who lost their homes. This collaborative effort underscores the commitment of local, district and national authorities to support communities in times of crisis and to facilitate recovery and rebuilding processes,” she said.
