Durban families displaced by 2019 floods still without basic needs in temporary shelter

Families that were displaced during the 2019 floods in Durban say they are still without basic needs in their temporary shelter. Thousands of flood victims were left displaced and without food during torrential rains that hit Durban and surrounding areas.

Some of the displaced victims were placed in temporary shelters across the city, while others were taken in by generous neighbours. The families that were temporarily housed in tents in Reservoir Hills were moved last year and placed in a transit camp nearby.

Flood victim Thembelihle Chonco says life is still difficult for them.

“We have been living in a tent for a long time before we were moved here to this place. We have been staying here ever since and we were promised that they will provide everything for us like electricity so we have been waiting until today. They come and go as if there’s something they’ll do but there’s no answer as to what is going on. So we’re staying here with the hopes that one day they will remember us because life here is very difficult for us,” says Chonco.

KwaZulu-Natal flood devastation:

Community leader Ntsikelelo Mofokeng says currently there are over 2 000 families sharing a few toilets which sometimes don’t even work.

Mofokeng says people are tired of empty promises.

“We are tired of empty promises. Whenever we ask about electricity we’re told that there’s no material yet but other places are receiving electricity and we have a problem with toilets, we have very few toilets compared to the people who live here. There are probably over 2000 people who live here because more shacks are being built. Families grow and that puts pressure on toilets. Currently, there are three or four toilets that work, the rest or not working,” says Mofokeng.

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