The Mayor of Thekwini Municipality, Mr. Cyril Xaba, said that he is satisfied with the distance that has been traveled with the construction of a center to house drug addicts, Sakhitemba Homeless Shelter, in Lovu, Durban.
Xaba said this on Tuesday, following his visit to the facility, accompanied by a team, to check the progress of the construction work.
The municipality announced the construction of this building last year as a way to intervene in the problem of drug addicts scattered in the city center. With this initiative, the municipality said it intends for addicts to be given a place to live that restores dignity, is safe and suitable for those who live beyond the roof on the streets of Thekwini.
Xaba said he was happy that the construction of the center is in the second phase where two sleeping blocks, toilets, bathrooms and a waste water treatment plant have been built.
“This center will not be a prison for addicts who have no place to live. Once they are given help to get off drugs, they will be equipped with different skills and then reunited with their families,” said Xaba.
He said that among the skills that will be developed for them, it will be ensured that they are given skills that will improve them in life, and they will be included in support programs to overcome the battle against drug use so that they can return to society.
He said that according to their plans, they do not want anyone to stay for more than two years in this institution.
He pointed out that in the first phase of construction, the addition of things that were not in the existing admin block was completed, and changes were made where needed. Among the things that have been done, he said there is a guard house, a multi-purpose center, a driveway, a car park, earthworks and retaining walls.
When this project was started, the municipality said that the center would be built to have 400 beds. However, after it became apparent that the number of people needing this place was increasing, the number was increased to 800.
It is expected that this center will be completed early next year.
As its construction continues, a number of members of the community who built this area, have expressed many times that they are not in agreement with bringing drug addicts to the area.
The community has had many protests since last year, where they expressed their concern about the introduction of addicts who indicated that they would be a nuisance to the community. The community had suspicions that addicts would escape and become involved in crime.