PICS: eThekwini clean up leaves more than 100 people stranded

Published Feb 8, 2021

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DURBAN - MORE than 100 people living in informal dwellings next to the Dalton taxi rank just outside the CBD have been left stranded after their homes were destroyed by eThekwini Municipality and Metro police during a clean-up operation last week.

The Dalton Beer Hall area, opposite the hostel, is where about 300 people live in poor conditions - half in the abandoned beer hall and half outside.

Raymond Perrier, director of the Denis Hurley Centre (DHC), said: “The residents were given no warning and once again, they have lost everything.”

Perrier said it was believed that new ward 32 councillor, Protas Mngonyama, was behind the operation.

However, Mngonyama said he could not provide any information regarding the matter and was not aware of the clean-up operation.

“I didn’t know, I just got a message from the South Durban Basin (SDB) that they were demolishing shacks,” he said.

He said Albert Park had available infrastructure with everything, including food and water, and advised the affected residents to utilise the facility.

Perrier said even if the displaced people wanted to go to the safe sleeping space in Albert Park, it was unclear if there was room for them or how they would be treated by the homeless people already there.

“Over 100 people who were living peacefully now have nowhere to live,” he said.

One of the affected resident’s said instead of going out to find criminals, police were chasing them away.

“These people are abusing us… they chase us from everywhere, even under the bridge where we are sleeping. We don’t know where to go,” he said.

A nurse stationed at the clinic, who treats about 35 people on TB and HIV medication from Monday to Saturday, said she spoke to the councillor last year during an operation.

Requesting to remain anonymous, the nurse said Mngonyama told her that he was going to move the homeless people to Albert Park.

As the primary health-care provider, the nurse said she requested to be informed because she would need to keep track of her patients and warn them to pack up their belongings.

“They never removed the people, they just smashed their houses. Nobody told us what was going on, they just destroyed the houses and put all the rubbish in the truck but the people were left behind,” she said.

The nurse said some had started to rebuild with whatever they could find.

“I’m so confused and worried because I don’t know what is going to happen. Right now my worry is the weather and what if it rains because even their blankets have been taken,” she said.

Ruth Birtwhistle, the clinic co-ordinator at the Hurly Centre, said two trucks arrived with many peace officers and without addressing the people, began to systematically push down the informal houses made of plastic, sheeting and cardboard.

“There wasn’t any violence, they didn’t hurt the residents,” she said.

Birtwhistle said while some managed to get some of their belongings, others were not there at the time.

“They feel very abused, they feel that they are not considered and that they have no rights. They were very upset,” she said.

Perrier explained that they have been working with this community for the past five years, adding that the clinic and crèche on site were established over three years ago.

“We have been the only source of health education and infection prevention for the community during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.

Perrier said over a year ago, the Municipality’s SDB department started working with the community rather than against them.

“They installed blue ablution blocks, used DSW to clear up the waste on the ground, and have worked with the community to teach them about collecting rubbish and putting out black bags for collection as recently as last week,” he said.

Eurakha Singh, the senior manager at the SDB, said her office had no knowledge of where the directive to demolish the shelters came from.

“We are working closely with EWS, DSW, Health, Roads and Stormwater and a few other departments to fasttrack service delivery on long outstanding issues, such as the provision of ablutions, water supply cleansing and education and health awareness programmes for those who live on the site,” she said.

Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the city was not aware of any demolitions in the area.

“We did have a clean-up in the area, where rubbish was removed. We also removed a fence in the nearby taxi holding area as well as some illegal pallets. Open fires were also put out. However, no informal dwellings were removed or demolished,” he said.

Mayisela said this operation followed complaints that were received regarding illegal businesses operating in the area.

Metro Police confirmed that they were conducting a clean-up operation.

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City of Ethekwini