Tired of empty and false promises
ARANAJULAM Govender and Madanlall Ramdial have been living in wood-andiron homes in Emona, Tongaat for more than 20 years.
Shortly after they moved into the area, they applied for RDP homes through the eThekwini Municipality and the Department of Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal.
In June 2018, they received letters from the municipality, requesting them to register for RDP homes at a new, multimillion-rand development called the Emona Sunhill housing development.
Govender and Madanlall went to a community hall in the area to register. But in 2019, when the homes were being allocated, they were not on the recipient list.
Two years have passed and they still want to know why they were left out.
Govender, 57, lives alone in his one-bedroomed home. He does not have electricity, piped water or ablution facilities.
“My home is divided into a small kitchen and a bedroom. I have a pit toilet that is just outside. I have a gas stove that was given to me to cook. Some of my neighbours, who have running water, allow me to take from them.”
Govender is unemployed. He generates an income by doing odd jobs like painting and cleaning gardens.
“I cannot get a permanent job. If I am lucky, I make about R500 a month. I use the money on transport fares to get to other jobs, food, and gas for the stove. It is not much, but I try to use the money the best way I can.
“I remember, in 2018 a man from the municipality came to the area and gave me a letter saying I needed to go to the community hall and register to receive my home. I thought I was finally getting a place. I was excited. I believed my whole life would change. It gave me a new lease on life but it ended in disappointment. I packed all my belongings and was ready to move but I was never allocated a home. It was all empty promises.”
Govender said he was disappointed
with the municipality and with the government.
“Nobody cares about the way we live. Anyone in my position would have killed themselves. How much longer do we have to wait before things change?”
He said he reported the matter to Dolly Munien, the DA councillor for the area, and was waiting for answers.
Meanwhile, Ramdial, 51, shares his home with his wife, Melinda, 48, a casual factory worker.
In 2007, his voice box was removed after he was diagnosed with throat cancer.
He is now unable to speak and communicates through gestures and lip-reading. Ramdial collects a disability grant of R1 880.
His niece, Melanie Doorsamy, spoke on his behalf.
“My uncle applied for an RDP home when he moved into the area. Every year they were promised homes. After years of being disappointed, in 2018, a representative from the municipality informed him that he was going to get a home and that he needed to register for it. We waited and we later watched other families move into the homes, but nothing happened for him.”
Doorsamy said he was disappointed and angry.
“Life has not been easy for him. Having a place to call his home was his dream. The two-room tin home is difficult to live in. When it rains, the home floods. Their furniture, cupboards, bed, television and some appliances were damaged because of this.
“The money they have is enough for just the basic needs of food, electricity
vouchers and transport.”
She said they also raised their concerns with Munien.
“We need clarity on why my uncle was left out. The conditions he is living in are bad. We are tired of empty and false promises.”
Munien said, in 2019, the department built 250 RDP homes on two farms in the area.
“The farm owners sold the land to the municipality. Homes were allocated to some of the Indian residents from Emona who applied for housing more than 25 years ago, but they did not receive them.
“I believe the allocation of the homes was done unfairly. I raised my concerns with the municipality at a council meeting last month and I hope to get feedback at our next meeting.”