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SHACK DWELLERS: THIS IS NO WAY TO LIVE

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Kennedy Road residents said they are tired of living in these rundown shacks. Photo by Jabulani Langa
Kennedy Road residents said they are tired of living in these rundown shacks. Photo by Jabulani Langa

RESIDENTS of Kennedy Road in Durban are sick of waiting for what they claim is rightfully theirs.

The concerned residents said they were neglected by eThekwini Municipality.

They told the People’s Paper they had been begging the municipality to build RDP houses for more than 10 years.

Thembinkosi Xaba (41) said he had been living in his shack since 2009. His shack has been reduced to ash twice.

He said: “Most of the people in this kasi use izinyoka power. Some of them use candles and paraffin stoves because they don’t have electricity.

“That’s why there are always shack fires here. Mine was burnt last year and in 2010.

“Because I can’t afford to rent a room, I had no choice but to pick up the pieces and rebuild it.”

Nomalanga Dlangamandla (52) said Kennedy Road was the most neglected area in the municipality.

“Our living conditions are shocking. This place is filthy. The municipality has done nothing to change our lives.

“It’s as if we don’t matter to them. Everyone has the right to live in a clean and safe environment,” said Nomalanga.

Municipal spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa said RDP houses would not be built in Kennedy Road.

“They built their shacks on a piece of land that was previously used as a dump.

“There is a wetland in the lower part of the site,” said Mthethwa, so it is not suitable for habitation.

She said the municipality was planning to build houses for them, but elsewhere.

“Two additional portions of land have been identified for the development of housing.

“Due to the large number of families that have to be accommodated and a limited amount of land to develop, the project will be made up of double-storey units.”

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