Plight of Welbedacht
ELBEDACHT was once a thriving farming community, but now it has become a place of solitude for families who, due to various circumstances, have been left jobless and homeless.
Today more than 20 000 families living in RDP and tin houses call Welbedacht home, and while the living conditions are not ideal, it is all they have.
Swami Ramkripananda, who has been running the Sarva Dharam Ashram in the area for 22 years, said he noticed a growth in the community 18 years ago.
“Welbedacht was once a farming community with a few families. Over the years, people from various parts of Durban moved into the area and built homes made of tin. They did not have electricity, water, proper sanitation and medical care.”
He said that due to the area transforming into an informal dwelling, the farming community had moved out.
“Over the years, government has intervened and provided many of them with RDP houses with electricity and water. Those living in shacks were given a communal toilet.
“Here at the ashram, we provide them with food every day, built toilets and houses for some residents.”
Ramkripananda said the ashram had an on-site clinic, which provided them with free basic healthcare, but it closed recently due to a lack of funding.
“Social issues like unemployment, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse as well as prostitution is rife here. Some residents drink and take drugs to numb themselves, so they forget their problems. Others take to prostitution to make money. It is a vicious cycle.”
DA ward councillor Anoop Rampersad said there had been an influx of residents after the municipality approved the development of RDP houses.
“We don’t want to see people living in shacks any longer,” said Rampersad.
“I am working with the relevant authorities and residents to ensure the houses are given to people, who have been living in the community for a long time.”
Rampersad said new inhabitants are moving into the area, constructing informal dwellings and demanding homes.
He added he was working with the municipality’s land invasion unit to remove the newcomers.
Rampersad said families have complained about the waiting period (to get homes) but when they are allocated houses, some turn them down.
He explained: “They want their homes erected on the property they are staying on. It is a challenging situation.”
The eThekwini Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa, said service delivery remained their priority.
“Approximately 800 more houses will be constructed in the area. Families, who will be allocated into those houses, will be registered beneficiaries and families from transit camps. The beneficiaries will be people already living in the area.”
She said the project was in the planning stage.
“Various processes, including obtaining a Water Use Licence Application and others, are under way. Construction is anticipated to start in the 2019/20 financial year.”
Mthethwa added the standard criteria for fully subsidised housing applied.
The recipient must be a South African citizen, must not have received a government subsidy before, and their combined household income must not exceed R3 500.
“Further to this, they must not currently own or have owned property before. They must be married or cohabiting with a long term partner or (be) single with financial dependants and must be 18 years of age or above.”
She said the city had been made aware of the on-going land invasions in the area.
“We currently have a team working on site, addressing the matter. The eThekwini Municipality’s Land Invasion Unit is mandated to stop and discourage people, who attempt to illegally occupy land. The unit’s main function is to control, monitor and prevent any illegal erection or unauthorised building within the eThekwini jurisdiction and is in line with the PIE Act 19 of 1998 and Municipal Land Protection Policy.”