‘Truro Hall is no place for flood victims’
RATEPAYERS in Westville want the eThekwini Municipality to provide a deadline when displaced flood victims will be moved from a municipal hall in the suburb.
The displaced families are from informal settlements in Reservoir Hills. They were initially housed at Pemary Ridge Primary but the formal residents said the school was not a suitable venue.
The city then said it intended to build temporary housing on vacant land between Pemilton Avenue and Shannon Drive in Reservoir Hills.
Two weeks ago, some residents prevented a bulldozer from clearing land which they initially thought would be used for transit camps. It was later learnt it was meant for temporary residential units (TRUs). Situated on part of the land is the Shree Mariamman Temple.
A petition was subsequently signed to save the temple and for the flood victims to be given housing elsewhere.
Last Monday, the families were moved to the Truro Hall in Westville.
At a ratepayers’ meeting on Monday at the Westville Civic Centre, the residents told deputy mayor Philani Mavundla they were not consulted and they asked for the families to be returned to Reservoir Hills.
Muhammad Hoosen, a resident, said the Truro Hall had three small halls with four toilets, one of which was non-functional. “There is one kitchen, one gas stove and a two-plate stove. There are also no shower facilities.”
He wanted to know who was controlling the process and monitoring the legitimacy of the displaced people living there.
Resident Allister Clarke, who identified himself as a former commanding officer in the air force, said the army could erect tent camps at the old command site in Durban.
“This could literally solve the shortterm problem, while the houses are being built. Surely the solution is not schools or halls where there are no ablutions?”
Ismail Mohamedeen said: “We feel for the people at Truro Hall. They are our people, but when our safety and security are threatened then you will see a different side to us.”
Nanda Naicker said he did not want lip service from the deputy mayor but time frames of when plans would be put into action.
Annie Mahomed, who referred to herself as a humanitarian, said she went to the Truro Hall after the displaced families were moved there.
“There was alcohol coming in. People are partying and displaying reckless behaviour and children are being exposed to this. Is that dignity?”
Fawzia Peer, the former eThekwini deputy mayor and also a Westville resident, said life would be easier for the displaced families if they returned to Reservoir Hills where they worked.
She said the Westville community was prepared to put up marquees for the families in Mountbatten Drive or the Siripat Road grounds in Reservoir Hills and provide them with food. Peer said the children would also be closer to their schools.
Mavundla, who is also the chairperson for human settlements and infrastructure in eThekwini, said at this stage no one in the city, province or nationally would be able to provide time frames.
“In Durban, we have just over 500 000 formal houses with people who pay rates, water and electricity. Then we have over 700 000 informal settlers with homes that don’t have metres connected to them and don’t pay rates.
“We then have over 80 TRUs for people whose informal homes have burnt down. It is called temporary, but I don’t know how temporary as some people are still living there from 2010.”
Mavundla said it cost the city R600 million to keep the ablution facility around informal settlements operational.
When the disaster happened, he said the quickest solution was to move the flood victims to schools, halls and churches.
“Normally, within seven days they are moved to better facilities. But four weeks have passed and that has not happened. But whose responsibility is it? It is national, the province’s as well as local. Everyone knows about the problem, right up to national, but nobody can give an answer as to how long they will be there.”
Mavundla said the provincial government had not provided money to assist the disaster victims and that everything the city was doing was from its own budget.
“We are not going to get money to build houses. It is not our mandate. It is provincial’s. All we can do is implement their plans. To date, nobody has confirmed when housing will start. Until I have the plans in my hand, I won’t believe it. There is a tendency to talk but nothing gets done and that is why we are in the situation we are in.”
He said all suggestions provided by the community would be taken back to the city and feedback provided within seven days.
The city asked that questions submitted by POST, on when the displaced families would be relocated, be re-directed to the KZN Department of Human Settlements, which was implementing the project.
Mbulelo Baloyi, the spokesperson for the department, said it worked with the city but was not responsible for identifying land or places where the housing units would be built.
He said the city would liaise with interested and affected communities about housing projects.
Baloyi said the department had started building TRUs for flood victims currently being accommodated in community halls, churches and staying with relatives, neighbours and friends.
He said contractors were appointed to build the first batch of 600 TRUs in eThekwini.
“Work has started in the north and west to date and eThekwini Municipality will have details of the readiness for the construction if it will ever take place at the said site (Reservoir Hills). The long-term objective is to have the affected flood victims benefit from formal housing RDP projects.”