Durban - A couple accused in court papers of “hijacking” a provincial government-owned flat say they believe they qualify for housing assistance and they will be destitute if they are evicted.
The Department of Human Settlements, as part of its crackdown on alleged corruption in housing allocations, launched a Durban High Court application seeking to evict Preston and Samantha Narayandu from the Shallcross flat where they have been living since December last year.
In her affidavit, the department’s deputy property manager, Shakila Naicker, said the flat had been let to Krishanaveni Govender since May 1992 for a monthly rental of R83.81.
She said at some point Govender left and her sister Saloshna was living there. When approached by officials, Saloshna asked for an indulgence and said she would leave as soon as her new property, which needed work, was ready. But when officials again visited the flat they discovered the Narayandus had moved in.
“Their conduct is tantamount to hijacking and is prejudicial to those on the list,” Naicker said, asking the court to order their eviction.
But the couple are fighting back. In his opposing affidavit, Preston says they have been on the waiting list for a home since 2007.
“Whenever we made enquiries, we were just told to wait. And then, six months ago, we were told that system had been done away with and we must reapply, which we did in September last year.”
He said Govender - on hearing they were living in an overcrowded two-bedroomed flat with eight others - had told them they could stay in her flat while she was visiting her daughter in Johannesburg, and even after she returned, because she lived alone.
He said when the housing department had visited the flat, he had forced his wife to speak to Naicker on the phone, who had “threateningly questioned her about whether she had given a bribe to get the flat”.
“My wife stated that we do not have money to do such things. On another occasion the official said we must leave the flat. We refused because we have nowhere else to go.”
He said he earned about R3 000 a month as a shopfitter and was the sole breadwinner.
“I sincerely believe I qualify for the flat. We will be destitute if we have to leave. The department should have tried to mediate and not just rush to court.”
In a document attached to the court papers, Govender said she had urgent matters to attend to in Johannesburg. She said the couple were relatives and she entrusted them to look after the flat “for safety reasons”. The application has been adjourned.
The Mercury