Nongoma, 21 August 2026 – Ten families whose homes were destroyed by disasters in April 2025 have had their dignity restored following the completion of the Disaster Housing Programme by the KZN Cogta Department in Nongoma.
This comes after an official handover of fully furnished houses by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Rev. Thulasizwe Buthelezi, in Nongoma on Friday.
Heavy rains caused a crater, leaving families displaced in April 2025 after their houses were completely destroyed. This prompted MEC Buthelezi to pronounce the Disaster Housing Programme, working with Amakhosi to identify alternative land on which to rebuild new homes for the affected families.
The restoration of human dignity and joy was on full display in Nongoma as MEC Buthelezi handed over completed houses, including rondavels, to all 10 families. Families had to be relocated to new sites after the land on which they lived was deemed unsuitable for residential purposes following the formation of the crater.
This was the second phase of the department’s disaster housing handover. Four families received their houses in Mbumbulu and Inanda Township in the eThekwini Metro last month.
MEC Buthelezi said the programme was not just a disaster response, but a restoration of human dignity. He explained that the department built two structures for each family, including a rondavel, which is consistent with the traditional homes of African people.
“During our assessment, we discovered families where girls and boys shared the same bedroom. We decided to add rondavels where boys can have their own space. It is also African to have rondavels in their homesteads as sacred houses. We saw it fit to ensure that our disaster response is consistent with the way our people live. “As a department, we have taken a decision to continue with the same pattern in areas where we will be building houses,” said MEC Buthelezi.
