KZN flood victims housed in leaking building
Landlord battles with inconsistent payments from eThekwini Municipality
Busisiwe Simelane collecting water leaking from the floor above her. Photos: Tsoanelo Sefoloko
Victims of the April 2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods say they are living in unsafe and unpleasant conditions. They were relocated from various areas – Umlazi, Isipingo Beach and Zwelitsha in Verulam – to a building in South Beach, Durban, on Mahatma Ghandi Road. But they say the building leaks between floors when people bath or use the toilets. The landings are always wet and they worry about the integrity of the structure. When people go to work, they leave their keys with their neighbours to check up on the leaks.
Bongisiwe Slangwe said her place leaks every day and she has to put out buckets.
“We spend time mopping the corridors, especially at the weekend when most people are not at work and the learners are not at schools,” said Slangwe.
Busisiwe Simelane said she is forced to mop up water coming from leaking bathroom and toilet pipes almost hourly.
She lives with her three children and they sometimes wake up as early as 4am to empty the buckets as they fill up.
“I want to be relocated to a safer place,” said Simelane.
Residents in the building also told GroundUp their electricity has been off for weeks at a time.
Landlord Xolani Mkhize said he is well aware of the condition of the building but he struggles with inconsistent payments (for rent, electricity and water) from the municipality.
He said the first flood victims arrived on 15 December 2022 and a two-year lease agreement was signed with the City. The lease agreement has now been extended for 12 more months.
EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said, “The rental payments to the landlord are up to-date and maintenance issues are reported to the landlord as and when they occur.”
She said the landlord is responsible for conducting inspections and carrying out necessary maintenance. Furthermore, the City’s team conducts inspections.
Bongisiwe Silangwe empties a bucket of water she has mopped up from the leaking wastewater pipes.
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