Msunduzi Municipality to move flood victims to rented accommodation

Msunduzi Municipality mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla. File Picture

Msunduzi Municipality mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla. File Picture

Published Dec 20, 2022

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Durban – Msunduzi mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla says the families who were displaced by the April floods, and have been living in the Truro Hall, will be relocated in the next two days.

The news comes as the DA and the provincial government traded accusations after plans to build temporary structures and relocate the families failed.

The provincial government accused the DA of mobilising its supporters against the building of houses for the victims.

The party dismissed the claim, expressing support for the relocation of victims, but insisted that the municipality and provincial government should follow all the building requirements.

The DA also denied those who protested and blocked construction were its supporters.

Thebolla said they wanted to move the flood victims to better accommodation, but the plans had been delayed because of resistance from the community living around those pieces of land.

“It was not our hope that we could be so close (to Christmas) and we would still have people that are living in community halls, but we had identified pieces of land where we could build,” Thebolla said .

He denied the municipality had failed to comply with town planning regulations, saying they had followed all the processes, he also pointed out that the national disaster act allows for setting aside some regulations when there has been a disaster.

He added the provincial government had since stepped in to get people relocated while the issue with the land was dealt with.

He said rental accommodation had been found and the families will be moved on Wednesday and Thursday.

THE MERCURY