Durban - Homelessness, overcrowding and being racially sidelined were some of the reasons Newlands East residents invaded Cornubia homes last week.
Local resident, Neville Campbell, who has lived in the area for 30 years, said if the city did not respond to their demands for housing this week, they would invade vacant homes in Cornubia.
The residents, who are demanding that houses in Cornubia be allocated to them, held a placard demonstration in Newlands on Tuesday evening.
“This time, we won’t leave. This community was built by the old government in 1973. Since then we have been suffering with overcrowding, high crime rate, drugs and empty promises. Women in our community get raped when they are renting. There are up to 14 people living in one house.
“In 2012, flats have been condemned in our area and promises to remove the people by officials have not been met,” Campbell said.
Last week, the Newlands East community handed over a memorandum about its call for housing to eThekwini Municipality. They were told they would receive a response on Tuesday.
eThekwini Municipality spokeswoman, Tozi Mthethwa, said feedback would be given to the Newlands East community through appropriate channels.
At the time of going to press, the residents had received no response and had threatened to invade the homes again.
The residents, who arrived at the Cornubia housing project in buses last week, denied being responsible for damaging doors and writing their names on the walls, windows and doors. They pointed fingers at another group from KwaMashu.
Campbell said they had been forced to live in horrific conditions in Newlands East.
“We are told to vote… for what and for who?” he asked.
DA eThekwini proportional councillor, Shontel Asbury, said she understood the frustration of Newlands residents, but at the same time did not condone land or home invasions.
“It must be placed on record that I spearheaded the prevention of land invasion in Newlands East almost three years ago. As much as residents are unhappy about the housing allocation, they need to recognise that it is the ANC that pushed through its racist housing allocation.
“It was the DA who consistently voted against the policy that only allows 1% of the homes to be allocated to minority groups,” Asbury said.
Daily News