There is little hope that the public protector’s recommendations will be implemented and stop the bloodshed at Glebelands hostel.
Speaking to The Mercury on condition of anonymity for fear for their lives, three residents said they heard about the release of the report in the news. “I have now seen that report and it’s no different to the interim report yet nothing has been done so far,” said one resident.
The public protector found the eThekwini Municipality, among others, had failed to promote a safe and healthy environment within the Glebelands Hostel as per the constitution and its hostel policy.
The hostel resident agreed, saying when he initially moved in almost 30 years ago, they would pay the R12.30 rental to a supervisor employed by the municipality.
“We could go to him with maintenance complaints and things would get fixed.”
He said residents used to have leases in their names from the municipality, but now there were more people who lived in the hostel without leases.
“Why doesn’t the municipality supervise this and take action against those who are living here without a lease in their name? The municipality is failing to take control of its own property. People are dying for beds here,” he said.
The public protector also found the police had failed to prevent, combat and investigate crime, at the hostel as well as maintain public order, protect and secure the residents.
Another resident said hitmen and those who paid them, were known, yet police failed to arrest them.
“We learned early on that being a good citizen and speaking up would get you killed and police would stand by and watch.”
Another resident said he did not understand why a police station had not been set up within the hostel grounds as was recommended by the public protector.
Activist Vanessa Burger said the report was a “cut and paste” of the interim findings, which had been released by former public protector Thuli Madonsela.
“The community was not notified or provided with the report, nor were they consulted or included in the investigation.” She said more than 100 people had been killed at the hostel since March 2014.