Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Carin Visser
The Democratic Alliance (DA) condemns the failure of both the Tswaing Local Municipality and the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality (NMMDM) to provide any form of disaster relief or support to two families who lost their homes in fires in the Ditshotswane Informal Settlement, Sannieshof (see photos here, here, here, and here).
A formal letter has been submitted to MEC Oageng Molapisi of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), with a copy to Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, requesting urgent intervention, accountability, and emergency assistance for the affected families.
The Khoza family has been left homeless since 6 September 2025, when their house burnt down, while the Tlhapi family suffered a similar tragedy on 18 October 2025, losing all their belongings, including identity documents.
Despite the clear mandate of both municipalities to respond to such local disasters, no emergency shelter, food, or relief materials have been provided. The affected families have been left to endure harsh weather conditions, including rain, without any form of assistance.
The Khoza family, consisting of two unemployed parents and their children, continues to live in unsafe and degrading conditions. This failure to act constitutes a serious breach of the Disaster Management Act (Act 57 of 2002) and exposes the municipalities’ complete lack of readiness to respond to local emergencies.
It is unconscionable that families can lose everything and still be left without any support weeks later. Government cannot remain silent while vulnerable residents suffer in inhumane conditions without shelter.
This situation underscores the urgent need for effective disaster management, proactive municipal leadership, and compassionate governance across all levels of the North West provincial administration.