Dwellers feel misled

Hostel dwellers from Sakhile aired their frustrations about their living conditions claiming the Lekwa Municipality has misled them.

The hostels were built for migrant workers before 1994.

Some workers were living alone, while other workers’ families joined them.

The residents did not pay a rental fee, but paid for municipal services.

According to them the hostels were not refurbished since being built.

The deterioration of the buildings is evident with walls cracking, paint peeling and some leaking.

Some residents extended the hostels because their families were growing.

“The municipality demolished the extended structures, saying the hostels belong to them,” a resident said.

Some residents added toilets to the existing structures because of having to share unkempt toilets.

According to the dwellers they thought their situation was going to improve when the municipality announced the building of new hostels.

The municipality moved some residents to temporary residences, while the new building was being constructed.

The temporary residences are divided into two rooms and some of them leak when it rains.

“We were told that we will move into the new building as soon as it was completed and not told about a rental fee,” she said.

According to Mr Freddy Ngobe, Director of Communications of the Provincial Department of Human Settlements, an amount of R25 474 104,02 (roughly R25,5-mil) was allocated and spent on professional work for the construction project during the 2011/2012 financial year.

A contractor named Chryselda Building Construction was appointed to build the new residences.

“Residents, who were removed from the old hostels to the temporary structures during construction, must be given preference, provided they are willing to pay the rental fee,” Mr Ngobe said

The units are targeting persons or households who are low income earners, earning below R3 500 and not able to access the private rental and social housing market as stipulated in the National Housing Code.

According to the residents they also applied for RDP houses in Ext 8, while the contractor was still building, to no avail.

They allegedly were told of a monthly rental fee of between R900 and R1 300 after the building was completed last November.

Each unit has a built-in kitchen and a stove, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

The residents refuse to pay the rental fee, saying they cannot afford it because most of them are unemployed.

Mr Ngobe said if the residents can not afford the rent, they should apply for a RDP house.

“Residents who can pay a monthly rental fee may occupy these units.”

The new building has not been occupied and residents are left in the dark.

According to Mr Sipho Mkwanazi, municipal spokesman, the residents were informed about the rent before the new units were built.

“The municipality allocated the elderly and child-headed families from the old hostels to the RDP houses in Ext 8,” Mr Mkwanazi said.

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