Govt calls for end to evictions amid coronavirus crisis
Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has pleaded with municipalities and private property owners to suspend evictions during the 21-day lockdown.
The ministry was reacting to reports of ongoing evictions in various municipalities around the country, including the scandal-ridden eThekwini Metro in KwaZulu-Natal.
READ: New regulations published on funeral attendance
In a statement, Sisulu said there needs to be limited movement of people during the lockdown.
“We implore our municipalities and private property owners to understand that preferably, the only movement of people that should occur now is through the de-densification initiative that was recently announced by my department, which is aimed at preventing densely populated settlements from being overwhelmed by Covid-19.”
Sisulu, who also holds the water and sanitation portfolio, also pleaded with borehole drilling companies to assist government.
“We are appealing to borehole drilling companies across the country to extend their helping hand by drilling boreholes for communities who are in desperate need of water.”