Housing Department blamed for bad management of city flats

eTHEKWINI Housing Department has been taken to task by local ward councillor Martin Meyer for its inability to adequately manage its housing stock.

This comes after fed up residents at Westgate Gardens council flats in Morningside demanded something be done to alleviate the living conditions at the block of flats where, according to resident Debbie Albers, things are in a “disgusting state.”

“There are almost 100 flats in that complex and an average of four family members in each flat. You can imagine the garbage that comes from so many people. We have been asking for more than four years now to be allocated the green bins for garbage. We live across from Burman Bush Nature Reserve and because we have black bags lying around for days, they are ripped and the litter is shocking,” she said adding that the city had not responded to requests for green bins.

Albers said there were no cleaners at the council flats and the health department had been notified and had visited the site on more than one occasion.

“I have taken numerous photos and sent emails informing the housing department, Ombudsmen and Health Department, but we can’t seem to get anyone to stand up and take notice of the terrible circumstances we are living under. We have been trying to get this matter of poor maintenance sorted out for years,” she said, adding that the situation had worsened and tenants had resorted to cleaning up themselves. This she said was difficult as most residents worked during the day.

Another resident, Pat Ellis, said he voluntarily moved rubbish from his building to where DSW could fetch them.

“I do my best to clean up when I have time. It was so disgusted bwhat I saw on 26 December, there were maggots in the bags. I also sweep in my own time. I can’t let people live in dirt,” he said.

Ward councillor, Martin Meyer said this was all part of a much larger problem that started with the inability of the Housing Department to adequately manage their housing stock.

“If any other landlord acted as the city does, that landlord would have been in big trouble long ago. For years now I have been trying to get the city to install proper facilities for the storage of rubbish, but every department just sends you off to the next department with no results. Thus every time the rubbish is put out, the monkeys come and create a huge mess. I asked DSW to put a skip by the entrance for all the rubbish, but they said it was the Housing Department’s job, I just get the run around,” he said.

Meyer said he was aware that cleaning did not happen during the holiday season, but all his e-mails and calls had no effect.

“I was just told that staff was on leave. This does however not mean that services to residents can stop. I am planning a public meeting at Westgate in February where husing officials will be present. I was promised this meeting in November by the department, but it never materialised,” said Meyer.