Durban — Stranded flood victims who were removed from Tehuis Hostel in uMlazi, spent a rainy, cold night outside Lamontville Police Station on Wednesday after being denied access to Wema Men’s Hostel.
At least 100 flood victims had their mattresses and belongings scattered outside the station – including women, the elderly and children – after they were on Monday served with a notice of removal from Tehuis Building, which is a private property. However, they were given an extra day to sort their things out.
According to displaced Sandile Mvubu, after they were removed from Tehuis they were fetched by two buses that moved them to Wema Hall, but upon arrival, they found out that there was no key for the hall.
“I think there was a miscommunication in us being there. The councillor there approached us in a calm manner and told us that he had already had plans for the hall. He said that had he been notified early, maybe they could’ve worked something out but there was no communication and there was nothing he could do,” said Mvubu.
When the Daily News arrived at the police station, the flood victims told of how they had not bathed or eaten. They said the food they had was distributed mostly to the elderly and the young since they were a priority.
Eunice Mkhize, 62, said she suffered from arthritis and diabetes and the constant moving around and sleeping outside in the cold was of great danger to her health.
“We slept here thinking that when we woke up, a solution would have been brought forward, but there seems to be no plan of action or any direction. We might stay longer than expected here and our lives are compromised,” she said.
Mkhize said they felt neglected and that their rights had been violated. She said no human being deserved to sleep outside in this manner.
Nomvula Nzama, 18, who is doing her matric at Enaleni High School in uMlazi, said being moved cost her precious exam preparation time as they are gearing up for their final matric examinations.
Nzama said preparing for her final exams has been the hardest thing. She said that she either could not attend classes or she fell asleep because of the environment she was living in.
“It keeps getting worse. Just when you think the situation could be better, a bomb just drops. I am on the verge of giving up because I do not see myself doing well. Most of my peers are going to be furthering their studies in different institutions next year and I do not see that happening for myself,” said a devastated Nzama.
The flood victims claimed that amongst everything that happened, a child was hit by a police van and was taken to hospital following the incident.
The South African Police Service spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala, confirmed that the incident had happened but said the child suffered no injuries.
“It is alleged that a child was at Lamontville Police Station when the child was touched by a vehicle and there were no injuries sustained,” said Gwala.
The KZN Department of Human Settlements and Public Works noted the removal of the flood victims.
The MEC’s spokesperson, Mlungisi Khumalo, said they were aware that there had been a serious breach of the agreement which was made with some of the landlords, who are forcing the department to purchase their buildings.
“The department is now working around the clock to resettle some of the flood victims into temporary accommodation as soon as possible, whilst the department continues to build permanent structures for them,” said Khumalo.
He added that no flood victim would spend the night on the streets.
“The inhuman act to wilfully chase some flood victims to the streets lacks compassion and is a defiance of what South Africans stand for, which is ubuntu,” he concluded.
Daily News