There were tears of joy for those affected by the floods in different areas of Durban when the Minister of Human Settlements in the province, Mr. Siboniso Duma and the Mayor of Durban, Mr. Cyril Xaba, officially handed over subsidized houses in Cornubia on Monday.
This program, which started on Monday, will continue until Friday, and a total of 113 houses will be transferred to the owners who were living in temporary areas in South Beach, Sydenham, Dassenhoek and Ntuzuma. According to the Ministry, all these places where the robbers were removed, will be closed.
Mrs. Phumzile Magwaza said that she was overcome by the joy of benefiting from the house, something she did not expect to get.
“I am moved to tears because I did not expect that one day I will find something as beautiful as this. Only words, then we no longer expect, then we give up hope saying that it is not our business but now we will live in our houses, we have even been given the keys,” said Ms. Magwaza.
He also thanked the government for standing with them in the face of the 2022 floods.
“We were taken to live in the community hall and that’s where we spent the whole year. Then after that, we were moved to Reseviour Hills and that’s where we stayed until now as we were given houses,” said Ms. Magwaza.
Duma said that the construction of these houses was successful following the cooperation of all three levels of government.
He pointed out that since the province had repeated floods since April 2022, it was Durban that was the most affected.
“We have accommodated more than 4000 families in temporary flats where rent is paid from 2022. This came after the removal of all those who were kept in community halls,” said Duma.
He pointed out that the rent of the places where those who were affected by floods cost them R128 million a year, but after the work that has been started, they will save about R66 million.
Among the excuses that will be made to reduce the cost of rent, he mentioned that the affected people will be removed from the temporary apartments and brought to their new homes in Cornubia. He said that the other thing that will happen is to move them from those flats to Montclair Lodge, which is a flat that the Department bought for R33 million last year, to be a place for the Department to keep those who have no place to live due to natural disasters. He said the third is that some will be removed from the rented flats, and will be placed in temporary places in Cornubia.
He said there are 104 families who will be accommodated at Montclair Lodge before the end of next month.
He pointed out that there are 17 houses officially dedicated to flood victims in Copesville, Pietermaritzburg.
He said another 37 houses have been transferred to their owners in Lovu.
He also revealed that plans are underway to build another 450 houses in Cornubia before March 2027.
He warned those who will sell these houses, saying that they will get themselves into trouble.
He said the Ministries of Health, Community Development as well as Education are working together to ensure that changing residences happens smoothly.
He said there is a team of senior managers appointed to resolve the issue of transportation of students to ensure that they go to school without disruption.