SINCE 2017, eThekwini Municipality’s service delivery has been significantly impacted by persistent weather-related disasters. Funds earmarked for resident rebuilding are repeatedly diverted to emergency responses and temporary housing following new storms.

Mayor Cyril Xaba disclosed this after complaints by residents from KwaMakhutha, Felekisi, and Ziko.

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Residents allege that promises of new homes, made after their original dwellings were destroyed, have not been honoured. During a meeting in Felekisi on March 17, Ward 109 residents further reported instances of partially constructed, but ultimately unfinished, housing projects.

EThekwini DA councillor, Bawinile Nxumalo, who listened to the residents’ grievances and issued a statement afterwards, said a letter has been written to eThekwini’s chairperson of human settlements and infrastructure committee, Themba Mvubu, to demand answers.

One victim, Thandiwe Gumbi, said it has been an 11-year wait for her and her family. After some heavy rain in 2014, her family home collapsed.

“People from some government department arrived to assess the damage and they made some promises. Since then nothing has happened and the house was never built,” said Gumbi.

Since then, the family has had to cram into a smaller house as they cannot afford to construct a new one.

Skhumbuzo Gertrude Mvune also lost her home to the 2022 floods and her hope has been eroding with each passing year. After the damage was done, she said a promise was made that the department would build another one.

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Councillor Nxumalo said in some cases, foundation slabs were built and abandoned.

“More than 200 flood victims reported that municipal officials had previously visited them and made empty promises to return and build houses. Many residents were also told to sign documents to secure their homes, yet half of them still have no place to call home. Among the affected are the most vulnerable including the elderly and those living with disabilities that are forced to live in inhumane conditions,” she said.

Mayor Xaba said since 2019, the city has only received a total of R1.7b of the R3.1b it applied for from the national government to assist the 5 939 victims of the latest floods as well as the backlog. He also said the funds that had been earmarked to assist victims have been reprioritised after recent floods.

“As a result, we were required to fund the shortfall of about R1.3b. For the April 2019 floods, the municipality made an application of R1.16b and only R16.4m was approved. In 2022, we were hit by the worst floods in 100 years and we received the Municipal Disaster Recovery Grant of R185m. Additional funding of R1.5b of the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Grant to repair roads, housing and water and sanitation infrastructure was approved,” said Xaba.

He added that these budget shortfalls to fund disasters caused by new catastrophic weather events result in the City being unable to meet its service delivery obligations.

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