Scepticism of R11m plan for hostels
THE eThekwini Municipality will spend over R11 million in three years on a stabilisation programme to improve the living and security conditions around Durban hostels.
uMlazi’s notorious Glebelands will be a priority as it is seen as a hotbed of violence.
According to a report tabled at the council’s Exco sitting at the City Hall on Tuesday, the decision follows the public protector’s findings that the city was in breach of various constitutional provisions in the manner in which the hostel was managed.
The programme will include conducting social analysis to establish a baseline of the status across all community residential units (CRUs), followed by social facilitation.
In a statement yesterday, eThekwini spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa said the interventions follow a report from the public protector on addressing the instability at the Glebelands CRU.
To stabilise Glebelands, tenant management, a service delivery strategy, hostels governance, safety and security interventions, rent recovery strategies and peace accord agreements between factions will be enforced.
The total budget for the programme will be covered across budgets from Safer Cities and the Security Management and Human Settlement Units at an estimated cost of R11.5 million over three years.
In September 2014, Premier Willies Mchunu, who was Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC at the time, and James Nxumalo, then eThekwini mayor, announced a R10m fund to install fencing and control access with closed-circuit television cameras and floodlights at the hostel.
eThekwini Deputy Mayor Fawzia Peer said the city was aware of the issues at Glebelands that were previously identified and had plans to address them prior to the public protector’s report.
Mondli Mthembu, the Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee chairperson, said: “Previously, R22 million was approved to address issues at Glebelands. While implementing the recommendations of the report the city has made other interventions to improve conditions.”
Breach
The public protector found that the municipality was in breach of various constitutional provisions in the manner in which the hostels were managed.
She found that the municipality had failed to promote a safe and healthy environment within Glebelands.
Vusi Zweni, the chairperson of Ubunye bamaHostela, which represents nine hostels around Durban, said eThekwini was “just doing” lip service.
“They have not been able to resolve killings in Glebelands. Now they have these big plans for the hostels without engaging with the people affected. We can’t commit ourselves to what they say because this mess has been here for ages, and now they think they’ll sort it out by making council announcements?
“These politicians are not to be trusted until you see the results,” Zweni said.
Mary De Haas, KZN Violence Monitor, shared the same sentiment that consultations should have been done.
“At the heart of the problem is the failure of the municipality to engage meaningfully with hostel residents.
“You cannot just administer a system without consultation and you cannot do it democratically unless you find a way of ensuring there is fair representation from different hostel blocks,” she said.