KNYSNA NEWS – While residents from informal settlements like Dam se Bos South are complaining of living in temporary residential units (TRUs) for up to 18 years, the municipality denies responsibility for the condition of the TRUs after the rightful occupants have moved out.

The areas in question include Dam se Bos and Hlalani, that fall under the Vision Housing Project. This is a multi-year national initiative that progresses in line with allocations via the provincial government.

When residents are approved to receive permanent housing, the municipality provides TRUs for them until they can move into their permanent houses. The TRUs should then be demolished, but according to the municipality, they are often occupied illegally.

Municipality

"In some cases, once beneficiaries have moved into their completed homes, the TRUs will remain occupied, often by extended family members, despite the original intention for these structures to be returned for reallocation or demolition," says municipal communications officer Nwabisa Pondoyi.

"As a result, the municipality is not in a position to maintain structures that are no longer part of the formal housing programme and have been informally occupied."

For their part, the residents say people wait for many years to be allocated their RDP houses. They also complain about the condition of the TRUs.

Pondoyi denies that the TRUs are in as poor condition as the residents claim, but nevertheless points out that it is illegal to occupy them once the rightful "owners" have left.

"Kindly note that the municipality is not in a position to assume responsibility for individuals who have taken occupation of municipal property outside of formal processes," she says.

"The municipality maintains a zero-tolerance approach to illegal occupation and other unlawful activities, and remains committed to upholding the rule of law in all its operations. In the development process, informal structures are demolished to allow for earthworks."

'Given up'

Vincent Malahlana, from Nekkies, says they have given up on getting decent houses. "All that we always get is that we will get RDP houses but that has never happened. This area is always caught by fire and that would only end if we could get proper houses and not these TRUs."

Few still waiting for top structures

Pondoyi said in Hlalani, only a few beneficiaries are still to be allocated to top structures (RDP houses), some of which were completed late last month. These beneficiaries were recently moved. The Hlalani project is to be completed within four months.

Residents' outcry

In the meantime, the residents fear the approaching winter that brings increased fire risk.

"There will be more fires now in winter," said Ntsikelelo Apleni from Nekkies East. "We have been living here for many years. We don't know when we will get houses."

Building won't start soon

During the protest on the N2 last week, mayor Thando Matika had made it clear to the residents that houses in the area won't be built anytime soon, as the municipality doesn't have funds at the moment.

He said housing submissions must be made to national government, that has its own processes to comply with before housing is approved.

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