R1.25bn disaster relief funds to be deployed to hardest-hit areas

While communities and local governments are still reeling from the latest spate of deadly disasters, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa on Monday, 7 July announced that R1.25-billion in disaster relief grants will soon be disbursed. 

This intervention follows a series of destructive incidents that have been formally classified and declared as national disasters.

The funding, intended to bolster immediate recovery efforts, is in response to the devastating snowfall and floods that recently swept across SA, severely impacting the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Free State, and particularly Eastern Cape. 

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The announcement of this disaster relief intervention came, Hlabisa said, “under the heavy weight of grief and devastation”.

Hlabisa said 107 lives were lost as a result of disasters in the country in June this year. Out of these, 103 were in the Eastern Cape, three in KZN and one in the Western Cape.

Beyond the tragic loss of life, the floods also caused widespread damage to property and crucial public infrastructure.

The government has urged communities in affected areas to remain vigilant and heed early warning advisories from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) to safeguard lives and livelihoods.

Following the classification of a National Disaster on 5 June 2025, Hlabisa added that all municipalities, provinces and national departments began adjusting their budget allocations to address the disasters that occurred in each municipality.  

After the National Disaster Management Centre transfers funds, these municipalities are expected to use these resources promptly. Hlabisa said recipients must follow established reporting protocols and use the required templates to ensure accountability in their financial disclosures.

The release of funds is made under Section 25(3)(a) of the Division of Revenue Act, 2023 (Act No. 5 of 2023), as amended by the Division of Revenue Amendment Act, 2023 (Act No. 24 of 2023).

Allocations and the disbursement schedule

The allocations for the 2025/2026 financial year total R1.2553-billion. The substantial sum is broken down into phases:

• To be disbursed in July 2025: R151.3-million for Provincial Response Grants and R395-million for Municipal Response Grants. Cogta is currently awaiting transfer dates from the National Treasury, but the preliminary dates for these are 11 and 18 July.
• To be disbursed in August 2025: R708.974-million for Recovery Grants, with a significant R504-million specifically allocated to Eastern Cape. These recovery grants are slated for transfer on 28 August 2025.

  Disaster Grants Allocation on 07-07-2025 by Kristin Engel on Scribd

Hlabisa said Eastern Cape will receive the bigger allocation in disaster relief funds, having suffered the most severe impact, which will be more than R500-million.

Hlabisa’s announcement was made on the sidelines of the Third G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group Meeting, guided by SA’s G20 Presidency core themes of solidarity, equality and sustainability. 

Ensuring grant disbursement transparency

Hlabisa warned that the allocation of disaster grants was governed by “rigorous reporting and compliance measures” to ensure absolute transparency and accountability in the use of funds. 

He said it was crucial to understand that any organs of state failing to adhere to the disaster grants frameworks will be denied allocations. 

“We insist that state organs submit comprehensive monthly, quarterly, and annual reports to the National Disaster Management Centre, covering every financial and non-financial aspect of their disaster management initiatives,” said Hlabisa.

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However, Hlabisa himself, while appreciating efforts to utilise grants appropriately, candidly acknowledged “several key areas of concern regarding their implementation”.

The list of challenges includes poor infrastructure planning and execution, inadequate workmanship, and the worrying diversion or alteration of the scope of work. 

Even more concerning are the delays in appointing service providers, which lead to municipalities underperforming, and the outright misallocation of funds to operational matters instead of the designated projects. 

Hlabisa added that there was also a “significant lack of monitoring and contract management by implementing agents”, alongside projects being under-designed, which makes the infrastructure further vulnerable to further damage. 

Furthermore, funding that reverts to the national fiscus exposes communities to risks, and there is a concerning trend of non-reporting and a lack of accountability for the funding allocated to provinces and municipalities.

Perhaps the most alarming, as mentioned by the minister, was the trend of funds reverting to the national fiscus, exposing communities to continued risks, and a “concerning trend of non-reporting and a lack of accountability for the funding allocated to provinces and municipalities”.

These identified failings are not minor bureaucratic hiccups; they are systemic issues that directly impede the effectiveness of disaster relief and prolong the suffering of affected communities. 

Hlabisa said that the majority of the municipalities in KZN, which will be receiving funds in July, had also received the Response or Recovery Grant and Municipal Disaster Response Grant in March 2025, and have not started implementing the projects.

The urgency of the moment, with so many lives impacted and communities in distress, demands immediate and visible improvements in how these funds are managed and deployed.

Strengthening disaster management

Recognising the crucial need for technical expertise during these times, Hlabisa said that the NDMC was forging strong collaborations with the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (Misa) and various sector departments.  

By utilising Misa’s engineering resources, Hlabisa said they hope to ensure thorough assessment and verification of the damages, along with essential technical advice for funding approval. 

“Our dedication to improving systems and processes for disaster response reflects our understanding of the vital role that effective support plays in assisting communities during crises,” said Hlabisa.

As part of this commitment, he said a thorough evaluation and refinement of the national disaster management system is underway to strengthen intergovernmental relations, enhance response times, and improve damage assessments. 

Additionally, Hlabisa said close collaboration with the SAWS and other stakeholders was ongoing, to enhance early-warning systems and ensure communities receive timely and accurate information. 

Eastern Cape response and recovery

The Eastern Cape government has significantly ramped up its disaster relief and recovery efforts following devastating floods in June 2025, particularly in the OR Tambo and Amathole Districts. 

The official death toll in the Eastern Cape flooding stands at 103, including 32 school-going children. The OR Tambo District reported the highest number of fatalities with 79 victims, followed by the Amathole District with 10. 

Of the 103 deceased, 98 bodies have been identified and collected, and 92 deaths have been registered by the Department of Home Affairs. 

A Provincial Joint Operations Centre has been activated to streamline response, alongside a Donations Management Team coordinating humanitarian aid like food, sanitary items, and household necessities. 

This team has been assessing temporary shelters and distributing humanitarian aid, while also making progress on the resettlement of displaced residents, pending proper government processes. 

The floods have impacted more than 6,800 households, leaving 4,724 without homes and partially damaging another 2,145 dwellings. Search and recovery operations are still ongoing, with emergency response and relief teams continuing their vital work. 

Provincial Cogta MEC Zolile Williams recently conducted an oversight visit to eight Community Care Centres in the OR Tambo District Municipality, where displaced residents are being accommodated. 

Williams said that land has been identified in both King Sabata Dalindyebo and Mnquma municipalities for the construction of 1,230 Temporary Residential Units (TRU), with R120-million reprioritised for immediate implementation. 

Williams said a further R461-million is needed to meet the full demand for TRUs. 

Verification of damaged homes is also underway in the Mnquma and OR Tambo Districts, with Joe Gqabi District already having completed the process – this is to determine permanent housing needs and identify households located in flood plains that require relocation. 

Key progress milestones in the recovery efforts:

• 62 burials completed, with nine more planned;
• 1,442 individuals have received psychosocial support;
• 760 families have been supported with SASSA food vouchers;
• 989 smart ID and 96 birth certificate applications have been processed.

Infrastructure repairs are also underway, with an estimated cost of R5.04-billion needed to repair damaged infrastructure – this included damage to 235 schools, 69 health facilities, 149 roads and 91 bridges across various districts in the province. DM