Durban - Illegal occupiers of land in Inanda’s Maoti area, were delaying the development of 2 000 low-cost housing units, the Department of Human Settlements said.
Spokesman, Mbulelo Baloyi, said on Sunday that only 200 units had been built since the project began in 2013.
However, Baloyi distanced the department from the recent eviction of residents and demolition of three homes, apparently by the eThekwini Municipality on Wednesday.
It is unclear who sanctioned the demolition. Deputy city manager, Dr Musa Gumede, referred the matter to Human Settlements, while mayor James Nxumalo’s spokesman, Sthe Mshengu, said the operation was not sanctioned.
Baloyi said the housing department was not behind the demolition.
“We form a tri-partite agreement as the department, the municipality (as a developer) and the implementation agent. In this case when the implementation agent could not continue with the work early last year, it reported to the developer which in turn sought an court order to evict. This was granted and we understand that the people were given until January to move out but they ignored the call,” Baloyi said.
He said the department did not immediately evict people but encouraged them to go back to where they originally came from.
Meanwhile the affected families were still picking up the remnants of what used to be their homes.
At least one family head, Maria Tekana, has laid criminal charges against area councillor Zandile Gumede and the metro police.
Tekana, a mother and grandmother to a family of five, was injured when she was dragged out of her R250 000 home by the police.
“I will make sure that justice is served. What they did to me and my family was inhumane and it is for that reason that I will fight to the bitter end to have my home built right here in Moati.
“If you are in a position of power and you happen to have differences with people, you don’t have a right to uproot and bulldoze them out their homes.
“I’m staying at my relative’s house bruised after I was physically dragged from my home. I’m in touch with the investigating officer and I know that no arrests have been made, but the case is on and once all the processes are done, heads will roll,” said Kekana, referring to Gumede, who she believes was behind the demolition.
Provincial police spokes-man, Major Thulani Zwane, confirmed that a case of common assault had been opened but no arrests had been made.
Thembi Princess Mthembu, head of a family of 10, was contemplating laying charges after she was pepper-sprayed when she refused to leave her house.
“I built my house from 1979 brick by brick, month by month until Wednesday, when it was demolished. All this time I would not buy fancy things for my children because I wanted them to have a home. The eight room structure was complete, and I was doing plastering and some touch-ups. It has not been an easy task to build it because I’m doing part-time work in different places, having to look after 15 children and grandchildren,” she said.
The families and some community members believe arrangements should at least have been made for alternative accommodation.
Ntombizandile Madiba said whoever was responsible for the demolition had no heart, adding that it was pointless to vote if people were treated like dirt.
The councillor being blamed for demolishing houses to make way for a municipal housing development said there were people dragging her name through the mud before the ANC’s regional elective conference in eThekwini.
Councillor Zandile Gumede is squaring up with mayor James Nxumalo for the position of ANC regional chairperson, with the elections expected later this month.
“The demolition was one of the municipal processes… We have a duty as leaders to uphold the rule of law and provide people with service delivery at the same time. Had people listened when we warned them not to spend their money on municipal land earmarked for development and respected the court order, we would not be having these issues now,” Gumede said.
Nxumalo’s spokesman, Sthe Mshengu, on Sunday distanced the municipality from the demolition of the three homes.
Premier Senzo Mchunu also sympathised with the affected families but called for the upholding of the rule of law.
Gumede said the demolition was in line with the court order issued in November last year to demolish after homeowners disregarded the notice to move away from the area to allow for the construction of low-cost housing units.
On Sunday Mshengu said: “There was no official sanctioning of what happened to those homes. We’re considering an internal investigation to find out who gave orders to the company or individual to destroy those homes.
“We cannot justify the brutality in which one of the three victims, an old poor woman, was removed from her home and watched it taken down. That was inhumane. Court order or no court order, you can’t remove people from their homes without giving them alternative accommodation. We are distancing ourselves from such acts,” Mshengu said.
KwaZulu-Natal premier, Senzo Mchunu, followed with a statement expressing “serious concern” at the demolition.
“The court judgment delivered on November 6 gave way for evictions. There is no intention on the part of government to be in contempt of this court order. The intention however, is to take into account the well-being of the affected families as well as providing services to the people,” Mchunu said.
He appointed his special adviser, Linda Zama, to facilitate a dialogue between the relevant stakeholders.
A meeting with the affected parties is scheduled for Wednesday to explore “workable alternatives” that will lead to an amicable resolution on the matter.
Daily News