They are crying out loud at the offices of the Ministry of Home Affairs in Lundi, who say that only six people are being helped a day following the blowing up of the Ministry’s offices in the old Legislative Assembly.
The people of Lundi said that even if they sleep there in the offices of the Ministry, it is difficult for them to get help. The roof of the old Legislature blew off in February, last year. The Department of Public Works decided that it was not safe for workers to continue working in the building.
The chief executive of the Ministry of Home Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr. Cyril Mncwabe, said that the roof collapse forced them to work on the Department’s trucks because the Department of Public Works had not yet found another place for them to work.
Mncwabe said that working on trucks has forced them to reduce the number of people they help.
Mncwabe said that they help between 34 and 40 people a day and previously they were able to help about 100 people.
“Since we work in trucks, we can’t fit all the Department’s employees in trucks because of space. Since employees work in trucks, we have to look at things like the weather and toilets.”
Mncwabe said they want the Department of Public Works to allow them to find a place to live.
“The issue of Lundi is very serious. We apologize to the people of Lundi who cannot take advantage of it. We are trying our best to find a place where we can work freely. The situation is really bad in Lundi.”
The whip of the NFP in Zululand, Mr. Siphamandla Ntombela, said that some people sleep in the offices but others end up not being able to help themselves.
“You have to get up early in the morning to give yourself the opportunity to help yourself. People travel 70 km, there are people from Mthonjaneni because there are no offices there, people come from Babanango and KwaCeza. They end up going back without being helped. Some end up sleeping with relatives.”
Ntombela said the people who suffer the most are those who want IDs.
“Children studying matric are in a big problem. Some drop out of school but end up being useless.”
Ntombela urged the Department to try to work in the courts of kings and municipal offices.
“The chiefs’ courts are always open, talk to the chiefs. The good thing is that the chiefs’ courts are close to the people.”
The spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works, Mr. Steve Bhengu, did not respond to the questions sent to him.