Five Mdantsane families displaced by last month’s storm could find themselves out in the cold today, as Buffalo City Metro has ordered them to vacate the NU7 community hall.
The displaced families have been living in the hall since their shacks were destroyed on January 2.
The storm wreaked havoc in the township on January 2, not only leaving the families homeless but also damaging roofs and doors of shops at the Mdantsane City mall.
At the time, officials from social development brought food parcels and disaster management staff delivered blankets and mattresses.
But they have never been back, residents told the Dispatch yesterday. Vuyolwethu Qomfo, who still lives in the hall with her family, said a number of others had left to shack up with relatives.
“We’re not all fortunate enough to have relatives that can accommodate us and for someone who is unemployed it is difficult to start from scratch.
“When we first came here, there were talks of discussing with the department of housing on how they could be helping us, but they never came and now even our time here is restricted,” she lamented.
Qomfo said they were told that they had to leave the hall this week because the municipality generated revenue from leasing the hall for social events.
Earlier, mayor Xola Pakati’s spokesman, Ayabulela Ngoqo, had told the Daily Dispatch the metro had no policy regarding the rebuilding of informal structures.
But resident Thandeka Mabula said they were promised temporary structures.
“They said they would give us temporary structures, which we have been waiting on but seemingly the process is slow.
“But they promised to prioritise us during the rollout because of our situation.
“But now we are being pressurised to leave and go and stay with relatives,” the distraught woman said.
Zoliswa Mqongwana said she and her family of seven also had no where to go.
“We have overstayed our welcome and we were also not staying here because we like to.
“I am not looking forward to being removed forcefully by law enforcement as we were warned.
“We are kind of between a rock and a hard place now,” she said.
Ward councillor Ntombizodwa Gamnca confirmed that the families were promised temporary structures and were expected to vacate the hall today.
“I don’t know about law enforcement forcefully removing them because I never said that to them.
“Nobody would have the authority to say that to them without my knowledge,” she said. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
Now hall shut to storm victims
The displaced families have been living in the hall since their shacks were destroyed on January 2.
The storm wreaked havoc in the township on January 2, not only leaving the families homeless but also damaging roofs and doors of shops at the Mdantsane City mall.
At the time, officials from social development brought food parcels and disaster management staff delivered blankets and mattresses.
But they have never been back, residents told the Dispatch yesterday. Vuyolwethu Qomfo, who still lives in the hall with her family, said a number of others had left to shack up with relatives.
“We’re not all fortunate enough to have relatives that can accommodate us and for someone who is unemployed it is difficult to start from scratch.
“When we first came here, there were talks of discussing with the department of housing on how they could be helping us, but they never came and now even our time here is restricted,” she lamented.
Qomfo said they were told that they had to leave the hall this week because the municipality generated revenue from leasing the hall for social events.
Earlier, mayor Xola Pakati’s spokesman, Ayabulela Ngoqo, had told the Daily Dispatch the metro had no policy regarding the rebuilding of informal structures.
But resident Thandeka Mabula said they were promised temporary structures.
“They said they would give us temporary structures, which we have been waiting on but seemingly the process is slow.
“But they promised to prioritise us during the rollout because of our situation.
“But now we are being pressurised to leave and go and stay with relatives,” the distraught woman said.
Zoliswa Mqongwana said she and her family of seven also had no where to go.
“We have overstayed our welcome and we were also not staying here because we like to.
“I am not looking forward to being removed forcefully by law enforcement as we were warned.
“We are kind of between a rock and a hard place now,” she said.
Ward councillor Ntombizodwa Gamnca confirmed that the families were promised temporary structures and were expected to vacate the hall today.
“I don’t know about law enforcement forcefully removing them because I never said that to them.
“Nobody would have the authority to say that to them without my knowledge,” she said. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
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