Imperial Hotel residents live in perilous conditions
eThekwini Municipality Environmental Health Services received a complaint of mosquito breeding which was becoming a health hazard for the residents.
AFTER being exposed to the terrible conditions that people who live in Imperial Hotel building, 6-8 Chapel Street, Pinetown, live under, several departments intervened to try and help.
The building which is deteriorating, has been abandoned for a long time, and is an eyesore and a health hazard for families, including small children, living there.
Pinetown SAPS communications officer, W/O Muzi Maphumulo, said the Imperial Hotel issue was raised during a Ward 18 war room meeting, chaired by councillor Melanie Brauteseth.
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Maphumulo said the eThekwini Municipality Environmental Health Services, headed by Thotho Mzobe, received a complaint of mosquito breeding which was becoming a health hazard.
“There was a hardware shop next to the building which was demolished recently leaving an open site. This resulted in the stagnant water accumulating after heavy rain,” said Maphumulo.
The Environmental Health investigations revealed there were three ablution facilities servicing approximately 79 rooms, no running water inside the building, insufficient lighting and ventilation in the building.
Among other things was the issue of a leaking roof and ceilings which naturally resulted in structural defects in walls and floors.
There was no electricity, however other means are being used. There is inadequate waste water disposal adding to the accumulation of stagnant and dirty pools of water and a general lack of maintenance of the building.
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There is illegal partitioning or dry walling, creating small, cramped rooms.
Maphumulo said most people who live in that building do not even have personal documents and children are not receiving grant money.
“We as police joined SASSA, Environmental Health and other departments to identify the problems.
“A private company which was hired by the property owner cleaned up the area and we spoke to the people about ways of reporting crime, SASSA informed people on how to apply for grants and the Health Department did a health check on some of the residents, especially children,” said Maphumulo.
He added that although some of the problems were spotted and the mosquito issue was sorted, it will take time and lots of work to restore that building. Continuous monitoring of the site will continue.
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