# Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane has called for disaster risk assessments to be conducted before housing projects are approved. This comes amid growing concerns about severe weather events that have damaged homes and infrastructure, displacing communities and claiming lives. Simelane says disaster prevention must be integrated into every stage of housing delivery, from land acquisition and project planning to construction and the upgrading of informal settlements. She adds that government needs to accelerate housing delivery while ensuring that new developments reduce, rather than increase, residents’ exposure to disaster risks.
Minister Simelane calls for disaster risk to be prioritised in housing delivery