Durban - Displaced flood victims who were meant to be moved to new temporary accommodation were yesterday booked in to the Royal Hotel in the Durban CBD after a dispute between the KwaZulu-Natal government and the landlord.
Amid much fanfare, the government announced on Sunday that 50 flood victims would be moved from the Truro Hall in Westville to temporary emergency accommodation more suitable for family living in comparison to the community hall which they had been staying in for the past five months.
However, the premier’s office told The Mercury yesterday that shortly after the residents were transported to the building, which was previously used as student accommodation, the property owners wanted the government to buy the property, as opposed to leasing it.
“The sudden about-turn and demand for the permanent purchase of the building has taken the government by surprise.
“Government conducted consultations with local residents who even made suggestions that the government build properties that will enhance the property portfolio of the area,” said KZN provincial government spokesperson, Lennox Mabaso.
Mabaso said that the families would be accommodated at the Royal Hotel for no longer than five days while they looked and confirmed alternative temporary emergency accommodation in the Reservoir Hills area.
When asked about the cost of accommodating flood victims at the hotel, Mabaso said: “Human life is worth more than money, we have negotiated a reasonable price with the hotel.
“These people lost everything due to the floods, this is not about lifestyle but about restoring dignity.”
The DA in KZN said it was surprised by the government moving the flood victims to the hotel, saying it was nothing more than “an elaborate PR stunt by the ANC-run provincial government in an attempt to show that it cares in the lead-up to the 2024 elections”.
The party said the Human Settlements Department had dragged its feet in finding suitable accommodation for displaced flood victims and when they did act it was done “as a desperate attempt to look good”.
“This latest move by the department will backfire. Not only is it unrealistic and unfair, it has created a further issue with other now disgruntled flood victims wanting similar ‘royal treatment’,” said the DA’s KZN spokesperson on Human Settlements, Marlaine Nair.
Regarding other flood victims expecting to also be moved into a hotel, Mabaso said: “This was a unique situation, the government wasn’t going to let people sleep on the streets.”
The provincial government said they believed the sudden change from the landlord could have been prompted by the reaction of some local residents who had apparently complained about the violation of building regulations and the possibility of construction on the property.
However Ish Prahladh, chairperson of the Reservoir Hills Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association, said the residents should not be blamed for the government’s lack of proper planning.
Prahladh said the residents caused a row because they didn’t want the displaced families to move into a property not conducive to accommodate 50 people.
“We are fighting not only for the ratepayers but for all residents of Reservoir Hills, this was not a 50-roomed accommodation unit (as was stated) but a five-bedroom house that had been converted.
“It was never meant to accommodate families but just one household, the sewer system would fail and the people would not be better off being there than in a hall. We are simply advocating for the people not to be moved into a place that was not safe,” he said.
Prahladh said there was a task team that included officials from the KZN Department of Human Settlements and the local councillor that was given the responsibility of finding new suitable accommodation.
Prahladh said inspections were being done at other buildings in the area by the task team and if all went well, the families would be relocated successfully in a few days.
“We have found another building that can accommodate 200 people.”
Prahladh said the primary objective was to find temporary accommodation because they wouldn’t want to see Temporary Residential Units (TRUs) being built in the area. “We don’t want people living in transit camps for years.”
Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube announced on Sunday that the province was no longer building TRUs but was opting for the cost-effective Temporary Emergency Accommodation option.
Mabaso said the provincial government and the municipality were currently building permanent accommodation for the residents.
He added that the families would not be moved back to Truro Hall but it was important that they were accommodated in Reservoir Hills where they were originally from.