Sisulu calls for a suspension of evictions

Posted On Thursday, 02 April 2020 21:46 Published by
Rate this item
(0 votes)

The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu, has appealed to municipalities and private property owners to suspend evictions during the current lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lindiwe_Sisulu

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a 21-day lockdown as part of efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus.

“The Minister and senior management of the Department of Human Settlements had a video conference meeting with leaders of community organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations. During the meeting, [the Minister] was informed of ongoing evictions, including in eThekwini Metro,” the Ministry of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation said in a statement on Thursday.

The Minister has appealed for evictions to be halted and instead for the municipalities and private property owners to prioritise measures aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The civil society organisations have committed to work with the ministry.

Among others, they committed to spread education on COVID-19 in their communities, as well as assist with pointing out areas that are still struggling with reliable access to water.

The Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation is in the process of providing water and sanitation to informal settlements, public areas including taxi ranks, as well as rural areas.

A total of 20 000 water tanks have already left the depot. Some have been connected to the water infrastructure and are providing much needed water to communities, while others are currently being transported to communities identified as having a need.

Sisulu has called on the municipalities and communities at large to look after their infrastructure and water tanks, which have been put in place to assist them.

She urged people who are installing tanks to take the necessary precautions to minimise their risk of infection.

“While it remains our responsibility as government to provide basic services to our communities, the situation we currently find ourselves in calls for us to do things differently. It is for this reason that we are appealing to borehole drilling companies across the country to extend a helping hand by drilling boreholes for communities who are in desperate need of water.

“We implore our municipalities and private property owners to understand that preferably, the only movement of people that should occur now is through the de-densification initiative, which was recently announced by my department. It is aimed at preventing densely populated settlements from being overwhelmed by COVID-19,” Sisulu said.

Last modified on Thursday, 02 April 2020 21:57

Most Popular

How to make your offer stand out in a competitive property market

Jan 16, 2025
If you’re looking to purchase a home in a sought-after suburb or estate, securing the…

One of Cape Town’s most iconic historic properties is for sale for the first time in many years.

Jan 16, 2025
Trovato House
Priced at R45 million thro ugh Pam Golding Properties, Trovato House is an impressive…

Exemplar’s December retail trade exceeds expectations

Jan 26, 2025
Theku Mall Aerial
With the 2024 Festive Season behind us and Back-to-School season well underway,…

The Cultural Blueprint: How to Make Your Office Not Just Look Good, But Feel Right

Jan 16, 2025
Jess Moyer Cushman & Wakefield BROLL
When it comes to designing office spaces, one size definitely does not fit all –…

Somerset Mall Embarks on a Multimillion-Rand Expansion Project

Jan 26, 2025
Somerset Mall
Major retail destination set to launch a new era of retail and leisure by November 2025…

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.