Work starts to rebuild KZN homes battered in December storms

Work has commenced on more than 250 homes damaged during devastating storms around Durban in December.

Speaking during a community meeting in Welbedacht — a largely informal settlement on the outskirts of Chatsworth — on Sunday, eThekwini municipality speaker Thabani Nyawose told residents that homes damaged by storms in December are being repaired.

About 250 homes suffered structural damage in at least nine wards in the city during torrential rains and winds.

Nyawose led an intervention programme that committed R19.5m  towards building materials, food and other necessities for those families in Ntuzuma a week after the storm.

A number of communities raised concerns that they would be excluded from this process, prompting visits by the municipality to various areas.

“I’m aware that there are projects in the pipeline like that of the houses that were damaged by the storm. Human settlements have told me everything is going according to plan and a contractor has been appointed, they just need to iron out a few details then they start the project,” said Nyawose.

He said it was important that the community work together to ensure that the project serves the intended beneficiaries without hiccups or delays once it starts.

“What's important now is for this project to go peacefully and efficiently. Houses damaged by the storm must be fixed.”

Nyawose said he was told that some houses that were damaged were not on a list compiled by the department.

“We will meet officials from housing to find out the criteria they used to determine houses affected by storm that need to be fixed and those that don't, or if they have a programme to start with certain houses before going to others, depending on the damage."

He said he was aware of the houses that were not affected by the storms but have cracks because they are old. He said it might mean that they were not built properly because they are not old enough to have such cracks.

“It means, besides houses that were damaged by storms, there are other houses in this ward that are not in a good condition structurally. We have to find ways to address that problem.”

He said he was working with another councillor, Anoop Rampersad, to deliver basic services to the community.

Rampersad told TimesLIVE: “We've had meetings to discuss ways we can work with each other to ensure maximum efficiency in delivering essential services to the ward.

“That project has already started. We have completed renovations on the first lot, which had 24 houses, and now we are on to the second lot, which will have 48 houses. Aside from those houses that need rebuilding, we lack basic infrastructure in Welbedacht East. We have no playing facilities, clinics or sports grounds.”

TimesLIVE