EFF chief whip slams government response to Giyani floods
Mopani District EFF chief whip Austin Mabasa has criticised government for relying on NGOs while donating food parcels to flood victims in Giyani.
LIMPOPO – Mopani District EFF chief whip Austin Mabasa has blasted the government for outsourcing its responsibilities to non-profit organisations in assisting flood victims in Giyani. Mabasa was speaking in Maswanganyi on Tuesday, where he donated food parcels to five families affected by the floods.
Officials accused of inaction
He accused senior government officials of visiting disaster-hit areas only to assess the situation and then leaving without providing any immediate assistance.
“The president was recently in Mbaula, but he did not bring anything,” Mabasa said. “Just yesterday, CoGTA Deputy Minister Dr Dickson Masemola was also here, but what did he bring? Nothing. He was only here to lay the foundation for the Gift of the Givers, who are scheduled to come in today,” he said.
According to him, the local government should be at the forefront of assisting flood victims.
“We shouldn’t be relying on Gift of the Givers to do our jobs. This is very embarrassing for us as a country,” he said.
Mabasa warned communities in flood-prone areas to remain alert to weather patterns so that they are not caught off guard.
Flood victims describe loss and hardship
Meanwhile, Patrick Nkuna, one of the flood victims in Maswanganyi village, expressed his gratitude for the food parcels, saying the donation had brought much-needed relief to his family during a difficult time.
Nkuna said the floods had destroyed their household supplies, leaving them without food and with little means to cope in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.
“This is a relief for us. After all our food was washed away by the floods, we had nothing to survive on,” Nkuna explained.
He added that the food parcels would help his family get through the next few days while he looks for alternative ways to provide for them.
“With this assistance, I will be able to feed my family for a few days while I hustle to find another source of food,” he said, noting that many families in the village were still struggling to recover from the floods.
Village chief welcomes assistance
Village chief Hosi Maswanganyi thanked Mabasa for the donation, saying it would go a long way in providing the much-needed relief.
“I am grateful to the EFF leaders for bringing my people the assistance they needed most after losing their food supplies in the floods. It makes me happy to know that there are still people who volunteer what they have to help those in need,” he said.
