ONCE the pride of eThekwini, 40 Wills Road in Berea has deteriorated to the point that the walls and grounds are caving in, putting the over 30 adults and 10 children that live on the property in danger every day.

The Edwardian-style house, which is now a shadow of its former self and crumbling, was reportedly among the first to be built on Wills Road, making it a heritage site. According to the DA caucus members, who inspected the property on Wednesday (February 11), the derelict home belongs to the eThekwini Municipality which is allegedly in no hurry to secure it.

Now illegally occupied by dozens of individuals and multiple families, including Mbali Maphumulo and her seven children, the heritage asset has fallen into severe disrepair and is now reportedly being used for illegal activities.

Maphumulo, who moved onto the property over two years ago, pays R1000 rent per month for one of the few rooms that has a door and roof covering it. “I pay rent to the man who also lives here, every month, in the building opposite this one,” said Maphumulo. “There is no water and electricity, and it has been like this for some time.”

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The unemployed mother of seven said she and the children survive on whatever she makes as a street hawker. “At the end of the day we need shelter over our heads,” said Maphumulo. “The previous place where we were staying, on Lancers Road, was no longer safe for me and the kids, and we moved into this property. The guy that rents out the room was already living here when we moved in.”

Unlike her next room neighbour, UKZN Bachelor of Education graduate Londiwe Mhlongo does not pay rent. The unemployed former Hammarsdale resident has been living in the dilapidated property since 2018 and has to safely navigate the holes on the floor to get out and job hunt.

“The municipality knows that we are living here. They last came in 2024 and made empty promises of moving us to a better property. There were 30 adults at that time living here,” said Mhlongo as she stands in a room with an unmade bed, broken windows, roof missing and no door. “I am now used to it,” she said.

“When we need the toilet we go to the public toilets down the road and when you need a bath, you have to find a corner somewhere. We are not safe but there’s nothing that we can do.”

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Councillor Zamani Khuzwayo, DA Caucus Whip for Human Settlements, said in 2015, an NPO applied to lease the property from the City with the intention of renovating it into a museum. Despite this, the matter has dragged on for more than a decade with no resolution. He said, “There are people who want to renovate and make use of the building but can’t access it because of the municipality dragging its feet on the matter, for years.”

In 2015, an NPO had applied to lease the property from the City with the intention of renovating it into a museum. Despite this, the matter has dragged on for more than a decade with no resolution. Khuzwayo said in October 2025, a report on the property was tabled before the Human Settlements, Engineering and Transport Committee.

“The report failed to provide clarity on the lease application or propose any solution to address the property’s ongoing state of dereliction. The matter was deferred to February 5, but the report was not presented to the committee and there are people living here, some for 20 years,” said Khuzwayo. “We are hoping that they will be moved to a more habitable place of accommodation by the City.”

The committee is due to meet soon and the matter tabled.

@caxtonlocalmedia Once the pride of Wills Road… now crumbling and unsafe. Over 30 adults and 10 children are living inside the derelict heritage home at 40 Wills Road, with no water, no electricity, collapsing floors and broken walls. Some have been here for years. Promises have been made. But nothing has changed. Should a historic municipal property be left to fall apart while families live in danger? #BereaMail #eThekwini #HousingCrisis #HeritageAtRisk ♬ original sound – caxtonlocalmedia

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