TRICHARDT – Residents of the Visser Flats, the municipal low-cost housing in Trichardt, were severely affected by a raging storm and winds which ripped off most of the roof of two homes in October last year.
Although the community did their best to assist with a “temporary fix” of the roof, residents living in these two houses still fear every time it rains as water still seeps through the open holes in the roofs, cracks in the walls and windows.
Besides the rain, mould has taken over every room in the house, all the way from the ceiling down to the floor.
In the kitchen of one these houses, a crack is so deep that every time it rains the crack just gets bigger.
The sky is visible through a huge hole in the bathroom ceiling of one of the flats.
For now, the resident makes use of cardboard boxes just to keep out most of the rain and wind.
“The temporary fixing of the roof does not help, it keeps on leaking everywhere, in my room, in my lounge – everywhere,” said Ms Ilomie Botha.
“All our carpets are rotten and the Novilon flooring is lifting because of the rain damage. If we close up our home, everything smells rotten and mouldy.
“All my belongings have been shoved under a tarp, I have taken all my stuff down from the walls and packed things into boxes so that when someone decides to help us one day, everything is packed away,” said Ms Botha.
She said people have made promises to help replace the roof, paint the walls and to fix the electrical wiring that was damaged but to no avail, all that was done was putting back the already damaged roof and a provision of a few buckets to put under the dripping ceiling.
“The paint is peeling off everywhere, in the kitchen, rooms, lounge, everywhere,” said Ms Botha.
An emotional Ms Botha said she just wants things to go back to what they were when she and her husband, Johann, moved in.
“We need help. I have lost all hope!”
Govan Mbeki Municipality’s acting head of communications, Mr Donald Green, said the municipal properties section, together with the finance asset section, went to inspect the damages and an assessment was done for the purpose of an insurance claim.
“When the team arrived, they found that a local community group had already begun to repair the roof before the matter was reported to the insurance.”
“Further, the residents reported that the local community group will assist with the repair of the units,” said Mr Green.
He said the municipal asset section recommended that the municipality keep the matter on hold as a local community group has already begun repairs.
“While we are waiting for the local community to repair the flats, we were informed by the Ward councillor that this offer fell through and they are no longer able to help,” said Mr Green.
He said the municipality has reported the matter once again to the insurance company.
“It should be noted that the incident has been reported late and we are waiting for the response,” ended Mr Green.
Ms Ciska Jordaan, DA Mpumalanga deputy chairperson and Ward councillor for Trichardt told Ridge Times that she is concerned for the residents, especially when it rains.
“Following the assessment of the damage, the municipality did submit a claim but did not move forward with it because they were under the impression that the community organisation was going to help these families fix damages.
“Unfortunately the residents have since told me no one has come to help them with the roof, floors or anything for that matter,” said Ms Jordaan.
“I am also worried about the state of the rest of the houses because of water damage,” said Ms Jordaan.
As disappointed as the residents are with false promises that were made to them, all they can now hope for is that the matter is resolved before the winter arrives.
