Durban - KwaZulu-Natal’s flood victims are hoping they will be placed in permanent accommodation soon.
Yesterday, the MEC of Human Settlements and Public Works, Sipho Nkosi, visited the victims who were left homeless after the April 2022 floods destroyed their homes, and have been living in Transitional Emergency Accommodation (TEA) units provided by the provincial government.
The MEC gave an update on the progress in building permanent accommodation for the victims.
He visited three of the temporary shelters in Mahatma Gandhi (Point) Road, as well as Astra Building in the CBD and Concost building in Che Guavara (Moore) Road.
The department said 3 405 flood victims were housed in various TEAs across the province. It said 13 land parcels had been identified in the City for construction of permanent housing.
Nkosi told residents that construction will start by August 31, as the land was currently being surveyed to ensure its suitability for building.
Residents told the MEC of the problems they faced in the TEA buildings.
Siziwe Mfencane, spokesperson for residents at Point Road, said they were tired of promises.
“We are living in conditions which are not good. Our children were promised school uniforms but never got them. We had to find new schools for them because taking them back to uMlazi was not going to work due to the costs,’’ she said.
“We have had to use our grants to sustain ourselves. We were only brought food parcels once since we were placed in these flats. After that we had to feed ourselves even though many are unemployed,” she said.
Sipho Dludla, speaking for residents in Astra building, said the government had turned a blind eye to their needs.
“We were promised heaven on earth but only got shelter even though that shelter has its faults,’’ he said.
Nomvula Duma, speaking for residents at Concost, said they were pleased when they were moved from the community halls but since then there had been very little progress.
“We have pleaded with the government many times to assist us to stand on our own but it’s still the same. We have to be guarded like small children who cannot even have visitors. Can the government hasten the process of our permanent residences?”
MEC Nkosi promised to raise their issues with the relevant departments.
“I have heard the residents’ outcries and I am promising the relevant departments will be questioned. Issues of uniforms and transportation of children, the Department of Education needs to answer on this. We cannot have parents being asked to pay for school fees when they can not even afford to sustain themselves,’’ he said.
He added that the issue of food would be raised with the Department of Social Development.