THE residents of the transit camp in Isipingo, who are unhappy about the delay in the process of being relocated to their new houses, blocked the M35 road with burning tyres on July 19, disrupting peak morning traffic.

Also read: First recipients get keys to new houses in Isipingo

The people who live in the transit camp were placed there in 2009 after they were moved from several informal settlements in uMlazi and Isipingo ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

Ward 90 councillor Shad Nowbuth said the residents protested because they said they have been prevented from moving to their new houses at the Kanku Road housing complex despite going through the verification process and having received all necessary documentation to be relocated.

“eThekwini needs to urgently address this matter to allow the beneficiaries who claim to have undergone the process during the application stage to move into Kanku Road. The council needs to also ensure there is normality in the ward where no member of the community is unduly inconvenienced by a lack of indecisive action on its part, which results in inconvenience to all road users,” said Nowbuth.

He also said the M35 has been left badly damaged by the protests which have been taking place at a rate of at least once a month over the past year.

“The road needs repairs, and since the Department of Transport is responsible for this, eThekwini needs to urge the department to act swiftly with repairs,” he said.

eThekwini had not responded to media queries at the time of publication.

DID YOU KNOW?

Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics. To receive news links via WhatsApp or Telegram, send an invite to 061 694 6047.

Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom at 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.

(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)