DURBAN - After eight months of living in a tent in Crossmoor, Chatsworth, 60 families were moved to temporary housing units last Wednesday.
In April, torrential rain and flooding destroyed the Bottlebrush informal settlement.
The families lost the little they owned and were re-homed in a tent.
But a week ago, they moved into one room container homes on Crossmoor Drive, which were built by the disaster relief organisation, the Gift of the Givers.
Imraan Mohammed, the initiatives project manager, said when they conducted a site visit of the tent structure where the families resettled, the Gift of the Givers knew they had to step in.
“Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, the founder of the Gift of the Givers, pledged to repair some of the shacks, but we realised this would not give the families dignity. So, we thought of providing temporary accommodation.”
He said they had a budget to complete the project.
“And three months later, we managed to complete the units before they were handed over to the eThekwini Municipality to manage.”
The units are made of prefabricated materials, like fibre cement sheeting with a galvanised roof.
Mohammed said the area was fenced off and the children were free to play outside their homes.
“The families are safer and now have privacy.”
One resident, single mother Zanele Mgabashe, 35, said she lived in the Bottlebrush informal settlement with her five children.
“Our home was near a river. Every time it rained, the area flooded. During the rain (in April), we moved in with my sister. She also lived in the settlement but higher up. A day later, I went to my shack and could not find it. It was destroyed.”
Mgabashe said she was advised to go to the AFM Church where fellow shack dwellers sought refuge.
“The Gift of the Givers arrived that day and gave us food and blankets. They told us not to worry,” said Mgabashe.
“We stayed in the tent, which was set up next to the church, for eight months. It was not nice. It was filthy and there was no privacy. Now I feel happy.
“The Gift of the Givers have built us homes and they have given us dignity. The area is fenced and gated and my children are safe to play outside. The Gift of the Givers also gave us a mattress, a two-plate stove, pots and hygiene packs.”
Desmond Naude lives in one of the units with his wife of 23 years, Martjie, and their 9-year-old daughter.
“We lived in an outbuilding near The Ridge shopping centre in Shallcross. But the property was damaged after the rain. We had to move out. A few days later, someone told us to go to the AFM Church.”
He said they lived with the other families.
“Imraan and his team told us we would also get a house. We praised God because these people cared for us enough to allocate a home to us.”
Desmond showed the POST his unit, which they were trying to turn into a home. They used a curtain to create two bedrooms – one for them and one for their daughter.
“Our daughter is growing up and needs her own space. We decided to put a curtain and sort of divide the unit, so she is also comfortable and feels like she has her own room.”
Desmond, who does odd jobs for residents, said while their home resembled a mess, they planned on making it look nice. His wife is a domestic worker.
The City did not respond to questions, including how long the residents would stay in the the temporary housing units.
Members of the Crossmoor Civic Association declined to comment.