Durban — A community meeting is expected to take place on Saturday over a special consent application for the conversion of a residential block of flats next to Livingston Primary School in Morningside, Durban, into a private drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre.
The advert for public objections on the eThekwini Municipality website and published in the Daily News says written objections to the conversion of the flats on Percy Osborn Road into The Momila Devi Maharaj Family Trust and Zensai Treatment, Recovery and Wellness Centre for Drug and Alcohol Abuse close on March 4.
According to the memorandum in support of the application for deviations to the approved plan (flats), the property falls within the development control area of the eThekwini Central Town Planning Scheme and is zoned general residential 2.
Area councillor Ernest Smith said there had been a number of concerns raised by members of the public around these types of establishments.
“We do hope that these concerns will be addressed at the meeting on Saturday where the proposed centre officials will be presenting the operation in its entirety. From this, residents are able to make an informed decision on whether or not they will want this facility in lower Morningside.”
Smith said concerns included the proximity to the school, availability of drugs in the area as well as drug dealers potentially seeing the patients as “easy targets”.
“A meeting was held in the last two weeks with officials from the establishment. They reassured us that there will be tight security with a cap of no more than 40 individuals on the premises… We ultimately agreed that a community consultation was needed. I am directed by community interests and had to make the community aware of the Consent Notice Application from the municipality which only came to me a few days before. This sparked a number of phone calls about this application and concern about the facility in what is seen as a predominantly residential area that has issues around drugs and prostitution.”
Rajan Maharaj, managing director of the Maharaj Family Trust, said the trustees had met and shared information on Zensai with the school’s principal, the station commander of Durban Central SAPS and the community policing forum chairperson.
“The facility is for patients who admit themselves voluntarily. Once admitted patients are not allowed to leave the facility or interact with anyone outside except facility staff. Family members attend counselling sessions by appointment only.
“The facility will have bricked perimeter walls, electric fence, controlled access, armed response, 24-hour security on site and 24-hour professional nursing for the safety and security of all patients.”
Janus Horn, with the Manor Gardens CPF, said there was also a rehabilitation centre (unrelated to Zensai) in their area and while there were challenges in the beginning, these now seemed to be under control.
“Although the facility is quiet and voluntary, we frequently have people escaping. Some of the guys have been caught trying to steal stuff when escaping. We also had a problem with people coming at night and giving or selling drugs over the fence. Many residents staying next to the premises had to increase their security. Some neighbours used to frequently have a ‘runner’ through their property. One guy decided to steal some gym equipment and got caught.
“We met the owner and we discussed our concerns and things have improved as we have not had a runner in a while. The security has also improved so access from either side is not easy anymore,” he said.
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Daily News