they are devastating floods in Tsholotsho. It was the Honourable Minister’s view that it is a well-known fact that Tsholotsho is a generally low-lying area and therefore vulnerable to floods, but the villagers were not keen on moving from flood affected areas leaving behind the graves of their ancestors. They also like the good soils and grazing available in the area and there is no alternate suitable land in the vicinity, Therefore he recommended that there was a need to do away with the traditional structures and build more permanent structures with strong foundations that cannot be washed away by floods. The ZHRC delegation also held a meeting with the District Administrator for Tsholotsho District, Ms Nosizi Dube and selected members of the Civil Protection Unit. The DA mentioned that no one was displaced (apart from temporary relocation whilst waiting for the water to subside), only shelter was destroyed and those affected were given tents to settle in their homesteads where they were able to attend to the protection of their cattle and other livestock. She expressed her utmost gratitude to the State and other stakeholders for reacting swiftly during the floods, hence preventing the situation from being dire. She stated that one life was lost and those who were injured were treated and discharged on site. The life lost was that of a child who had drowned, after failing to realise that the water was rising. In the Sipepa area, Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) helicopters were used to air lift the marooned villagers as the roads were inaccessible. The DA recommended that there was need to build stronger structures in place of the weaker and temporary ones which the villagers built. The weaker structures were built with dagga and poles. Further she reiterated the Honourable Provincial Affairs Minister’s sentiments that there was a need to have a disaster risk management plan at all levels (including ward and village level). She however expressed her concern that in as much there was a swift and positive reaction some stakeholders’ intervention was motivated more by the need to gain mileage for their organisation than the best interest of the communities hence their insistence on visibility and control over the modalities of assistance despite the CPU’s capacity to coordinate and properly distribute such assistance. Page 6 of 22