Parliament pressures government to fast-track disaster relief

[00:00:00]story and Parliament today calling for an urgent response and collaboration from all government sectors to assist those who are in need at this time. The portfolio committee on human settlements and the chairperson of the select committee on cooperative governance and public administration have further urged communities to heed these weather warnings. Let's talk more about this now. We're joined by Nox Siwabi, the chairperson of the portfolio committee on human settlements. Mr. Siwabi, it's good to have you this evening. Thank you very much for your time. Let's start with a very interesting call that you are making alongside the chairperson of the select committee and that is that what you are looking for is an agile agile Let me say that word again. An agile response.

[00:00:55]What does that look like in the eyes of your committee, particularly for those who are in need at a time like this?

[00:01:05]Good evening to you, Gugu and your viewers.

[00:01:10]What we are calling for is for departments to be responsive.

[00:01:17]So that we don't wait for a long time when people are experiencing a crisis.

[00:01:24]When people do not have uh places to live, places to sleep.

[00:01:32]And we wait because of our administrative processes.

[00:01:37]So we're saying the departments need to be agile. All stakeholders need to cooperate and response to to this crisis as a matter of agency. Yeah.

[00:01:51]Unlike waiting for for some days without assisting our people because these people are in need of services. They've lost their belongings because of a the disaster.

[00:02:08]And we can't wait. We need to respond as a matter of agency. That's what we mean by the stakeholders being agile. So, it's very clear then that a classification of a national disaster is not enough because in your statement you in fact you go further to say this classification should not merely be a matter of regulatory compliance but an effective mechanism to unlock faster and improved coordination. So, where are the blockages if we were to put it like that? So, here is a classification of a disaster. What needs to happen to unlock the funds?

[00:02:57]Remember the responsibility or the mandate with regard to disaster management lies with the Department of Cooperative Governance COGTA. Mhm.

[00:03:11]But it works with in collaboration with human settlement and municipalities.

[00:03:19]So, we're saying the the funds especially which are meant to assist people who are experiencing disasters need to be unlocked as a matter of agency instead of being locked into meetings, unending meetings. That's why we're saying to an extent there's a need to transfer some of these funds to municipalities that are closer to people, that are closer to areas where these disasters are happening. So that they can move quickly. When you have centralized 100% these funds for disasters, it creates a problem because it means the municipality must still request through the administrative channels, and by the time there is a response, which which which whether is positive or negative, but by the time there is a response, uh people have suffered even more. Yeah. So I'm saying even if you don't uh uh devolve the num- the the the the resources to municipalities, but part must be devolved to municipalities so that municipalities can act urgently. I know with human settlements, they've agreed with the minister and MECs that a particular percentage will be devolved to local municipalities so that they are able to respond as a matter of agency.

[00:04:58]That's what we mean by agility. Yeah.

[00:05:01]You're making a lot of sense because your previous uh complaint was that the centralization and the lack of alignment between municipalities on the one hand and the national government resulted in delays that are caused by this slow verification process. So, let's talk about the the review then of this emergency housing fund and whether or not it is now sufficiently responsive to the realities on the ground. What has your assessment been?

[00:05:41]No, the review has assisted to an extent, but not to our satisfaction.

[00:05:47]That's why we are calling for continuous cooperation so that when a disaster strike people can be able to respond quickly.

[00:06:02]Of course, we are happy that there is a review but up to so far it has not delivered the required results. [clears throat] That's why we are calling upon the relevant stakeholders to make sure that they speed up the process of reviewing so that we are able to assist our people on the ground especially with regard to devolving these funds even if it's a percentage to the local municipalities so that they can immediately respond with immediate needs of our people when they have experienced disaster. Yeah.

[00:06:46]>> we are looking at the review and we hope at the end it will assist in what we are we are we are foreseeing.

[00:06:56]Yeah.

[00:06:57]The the good thing here, Mr. Siabi, is that we have the benefit of hindsight.

[00:07:05]You will remember the 2022 floods in Durban.

[00:07:11]It was so disastrous that there was now this emergency to unlock funds so that they start flowing. But gets guess what the fear was? It was that this would probably be a lot of money released to municipalities in KZN and then an opportunity comes for those who want to loot those funds and therefore there was talk of real-time auditing of these funds as they were being used.

[00:07:45]Where are we in as far as that process is concerned when funds are now released, these are funds that are must that must go and help people in need?

[00:07:58]But of course, we know in the South African society that there are those who are unscrupulous who see an opportunity.

[00:08:06]Where is that how is that gap going to be closed?

[00:08:12]Of course, you are correct, Proly.

[00:08:15]Another thing is that in a number of municipalities, when you give money, which is a grant, of course, some of them would use it for other things other than what it is meant for.

[00:08:32]In some municipalities, they'll pay their debts instead of channeling it to the needy in terms of disaster.

[00:08:43]But in terms of human settlement department, like I said, they've tried to to categorize the kinds of disasters, so that the municipality can come in.

[00:08:57]At some stage, the province will come in, and then the national will also come in.

[00:09:03]But what comforts us is that every time there's a disaster, national office or national department immediately send people to the ground so that they assist municipalities and guide them with regard to the usage of the funds as uh as devolved to local municipalities.

[00:09:27]And they've reported uh progress. They've also reported satisfaction in that regard, so that you are able to use the funds for what it is meant for.

[00:09:40]And uh that's why I'm saying with the review we're trying to close that gap forever.

[00:09:48]So that when the money is sent to municipalities or even the province it is sent for what it is spent on what it is meant for.

[00:10:00]Nkosi Siabi, thank you very much for your time. Chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs.