Durban - A GROUP of residents left destitute by the recent floods “stormed” the Durban City Hall yesterday, demanding that the city provide them with proper accommodation.
They called on the city to make some of its vacant buildings available, or look at housing projects where they could be housed while a permanent solution was sought.
The residents warned they would spend last night at one of the halls at City Hall, as it was “warm”, unless the city accommodated them at one of its buildings. IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi has long called for the city to renovate some of its vacant buildings – to accommodate flood victims.
Between 60 to 100 community members from different areas in Durban, including from Clermont, planned to spend the night at the City Hall as they complained that living in community halls, where they were being accommodated, had become unbearable.
The community members included young people, men and women and a few elderly people. They were led by an organisation called the Umsinsi Native movement, and they engaged with deputy mayor Philani Mavundla over their living conditions.
Mavundla leads the Human Settlement and Infrastructure Services committee, which is at the forefront of dealing with the aftermath of the devastation caused by the floods.
During the discussion, the community members alleged that they had been subjected to widespread neglect and mistreatment, allegedly at the hands of some of their councillors, in the shelters.
One of the community leaders, Mlungisi Mgqibisa, said the situation in the community halls was untenable.
“Some of these people are sharing spaces with children, and the children end up being exposed to inappropriate behaviour by adults. There have been even instances, that people are having sex in those community halls and exposing children to such acts.”
He said the community had been growing frustrated, especially as it was almost two months since they had been displaced, and there was no change in their living conditions. “People are tired of living in the manner they are living; the people (at the City Hall) today (yesterday) are a small group, there are plenty more in other areas that could still come to the City Hall in the coming days if there is no change,” he said.
“We want a solution. For instance, there are buildings in Durban that are vacant. Instead of people living in these halls that get flooded, they should be allowed to live in these buildings.
“Tonight we are not going anywhere, we will sleep here. The people who are here have nothing…”
Mavundla told the community that some of the victims, including a family that lost four children when the wall of a church collapsed, were on the verge of being helped.
On the community planning to sleep at City Hall, Mavundla said that while this was not ideal, the city would have to make arrangements for them to at least be comfortable. “We will have to find out how many of you are here and make provision for sleeping material and food,” he said.
THE MERCURY