‘Do not underestimate the importance of your vote,’ says Mhlauli at flood-relief handover

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli urged South Africans to register for the upcoming local government elections on Thursday, using a disaster-relief handover in flood-hit Vredenburg to punt the role municipalities play in basic services and emergency response.

Speaking in the Western Cape town after severe weather damaged homes and disrupted livelihoods, Mhlauli said the floods had again exposed how disasters hit poor households hardest.

“When disaster strikes, it is often the poorest and most vulnerable who are affected the most. For them, the loss of a roof, a bed, school uniforms, food, or basic household items is not a minor inconvenience,” she said. “It is a major setback that threatens dignity, security, and hope.”

The handover, conducted with the Al Imdaad Foundation, provided relief packages and essential supplies to affected residents after a cold front brought heavy rain, flooding and freezing temperatures to parts