Residents of a housing transit camp in Durban gave leaders of the African Content Movement (ACM) the cold shoulder as the political party campaigned in the city ahead of its provincial manifesto launch.
ACM National Chairperson Ally Mosia and KwaZulu-Natal Chairperson Bongani Xaba visited the transit camp that was set up at a former SPCA office in Cato Manor.
The more than 200 families in the Cato Manor housing transit camp live in the former SPCA office buildings, as well as prefabricated homes and RDP houses that were erected on the site.
They have communal ablution facilities in a converted container with running water.
The families were moved there while they wait for their RDP houses.
This is in contrast to the ACM media invite that said a place that was meant for animals is now home to human beings.
Residents say they have been waiting for 10 years for RDP houses.
Only two people were willing to voice their concerns to the ACM leaders, while others ran back into their houses and refused to talk.
A resident who did not want to be identified says she was moved to the transit camp after her shack was destroyed by fire.
She lost her son during the fire and her disabled husband was severely burnt.
She says it’s hard for her family to be staying in this prefab structure.
Another resident Zanele Madondo says all they are pleading for is proper housing.
Xaba says the ACM will intervene to better the living conditions of the people in the area as they are not healthy.
Ethekwini Municipality spokesperson Musawakhe Mayisela says the municipality was not expecting to have people wait for such a long time in transit camps.
He says due to financial constraints, it’s not possible to fast-track the building of houses.
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