Durban - This year’s festive season has brought joy to more than 100 families who were handed keys to their homes in Cornubia, near Mount Edgecombe, by the eThekwini Municipality after living in transit camps for years.
Mayor James Nxumalo visited the families to inspect the state of their homes and give assurances that the area, which is still not fully developed, would soon be electrified and have access roads.
The families were moved into the Cornubia housing project last week from the Polokwane transit camp, near Newlands East, and from Siyanda informal settlement in KwaMashu.
Residents expressed joy on Wednesday but complained about the lack of roads and electricity.
“We previously made an agreement with you that some of you would spend Christmas in new homes. This is despite work not being totally complete and, as you can see, work is ongoing,” said Nxumalo.
He gave assurances to the 101 homeowners that “whatever has not happened will happen.”
He said companies working in the area had missed deadlines because they had had to go on holiday breaks, but the work would carry on.
“Street poles are being installed for electrification and roads are being built. You already have water. Despite this, it was agreed that a certain number of people could move into their homes. You have been allocated houses, but a whole of other people are waiting to be allocated.
“More families will receive their homes in January and so forth,” he said.
The 101 houses already allocated were the first of 2 186 in the project’s second phase.
Nxumalo said the municipality had prioritised people living in transit camps and informal settlements as beneficiaries, as they were the “most in need”.
He said the Cornubia project would see 25 000 units built by 2030. About 15 000 houses had already been built.
“We don’t have land in the municipality – that’s our biggest challenge. Most of you coming from transit camps were initially told you would stay there for only six months, but that did not happen. You waited for a long time. We are grateful for your patience. Things didn’t go as smoothly as we expected them to. There were challenges,” he said.
Once completed, the 25 000-unit project would include mixed-income housing units, light industrial factories, clinics, primary schools, a high school, businesses and parks.
Mobile clinics are providing residents with health-care services until a new, permanent clinic is built.
After the inspection, Nxumalo spent time interacting with beachgoers on the Durban beachfront. He said the city was ready for visitors.
The Mercury
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