Durban - An imminent move from their flats on Acutt Street near Durban’s City Hall to a newly renovated block of flats near uShaka Marine World has the 262 pensioners who are The Association For the Aged (Tafta) tenants rattled.
The Ray Hullet block of flats residents were recently told they were going to be moved to Langeler Towers, on Prince Street, by the end of September.
Tafta, who are in the final stages of a multimillion-rand renovation of Langeler Towers, wants to renovate the Ray Hullet building.
While many residents feared having to move back with family or into communal housing, Femada Shamam, chief operating officer of Tafta, said this would not be the case.
She said all residents would be accommodated in the “brand new” Langeler Towers.
Shamam said the Ray Hullet building was very old and in need of massive renovations to its structure, the individual units and communal bathrooms.
She said the new Langeler Towers, which should be completed by September, would not have communal bathrooms.
“We are aware of the concerns of the residents and that is why our chief executive met with them personally during the discussions around the move. We know that moving is very hard, but they will be moving into a brand new building, from where they will be able to walk straight onto the beachfront,” she said.
Shamam said they wanted to make the move as smooth as possible for residents, and plan to have extensive consultations with them.
According to its website, Tafta said Langeler Towers would be home to several hundred older people, who would have easy access to nearby Addington Hospital, beaches and shops.
The Daily News spoke to several residents at Ray Hullet buildings on Tuesday who expressed several concerns, such as the size of the units at Langeler Towers, and safety.
“I’ve lived here for 18 years and this place is my home. It is close to all the things that I like, like the post office and the library. I don’t know this place where they want us to go to, except that it is on the Point, which I know is not very safe,” one resident said.
No residents wanted their names published.