Gunfire scuppers MEC Duma’s housing plans meeting for flood victims in Shallcross

A MEDIA briefing to unveil plans for the construction of low-cost housing for flood victims in Shallcross, Chatsworth, was abruptly called off on Monday after irate community members allegedly expressed their displeasure at the gesture by firing multiple gunshots into the air. 

The briefing had been called by the MEC for Human Settlements and Transport Siboniso Duma amid the standoff between his department and Shallcross residents over the construction of houses for flood victims.

 The department’s spokesperson, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, confirmed the incident. 

“More than five gunshots have been fired. And some community members have advised us to leave immediately. We condemn the intimidation and any violent attempt aimed at stopping this project. Some community members have openly pleaded with the MEC (Duma) to proceed with construction of these houses as they are the victims of the disaster,” said Sibiya. 

Sibiya told the Daily News newspaper that the department would open charges against the alleged perpetrators. 

The department had identified 12 portions of state-owned land in KwaZulu-Natal, including four in Shallcross, to build 4 458 houses for the recent and April 2022 flood victims, who were still being housed in temporary shelters across the city.

Before the cancelled media briefing, MEC Duma issued a media statement indicating that they had inspected land that belonged to the Department of Human Settlements, which was earmarked and set aside to build a total of 85 permanent houses for April 2022 and the recent victims of floods.

“The land that we have visited here in Shallcross is among the 12 portions we earmarked."

Duma said contractors were appointed to put services in place and begin with construction work.

He confirmed that the land that were identified for the construction of houses belonged to the state and that they were unable to wait any longer to commence with building work as vulnerable members of society were desperate for proper roofs over their heads.

“Any delay is not only prolonging their suffering but a violation of their human rights and the Constitution,” he said.

Some of the would-be beneficiaries of the yet-to-be-built houses had their homes destroyed by the 2022 flood victims, which also claimed the lives of more than 450 people.  

Hundreds of people were left stranded during floods last week in many parts of the province, including eThekwini, where seven people were confirmed dead, with many others still missing.  

Amid the stalemate with the Shallcross community, MEC Duma said: “The ‘Not-in-My Backyard Syndrome’ belongs to an apartheid past, not to a democratic South Africa.”

Duma and eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba are expected to join hands to produce the Proactive Land Release Strategy.

“The strategy is aimed at ensuring that municipal immovable properties, such as the land, are released for the construction of houses for the vulnerable members of society,” said Duma.

He added: “We also wish to indicate that the department utilised the appointment of a team of professionals to do detailed studies on these properties, package town planning applications, and submit them to the local authority for review and approval in accordance with Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act.

“We undertook an environmental impact assessment in accordance with the National Environmental Management Act of South Africa (1998).”

This was reviewed by the authority with legislative powers, in this case being the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, said Duma.

Contrary to the claims by the community, Duma said: “As the department, we met with the community of Shallcross on 27 July 2024 and on 20 August 2024. In these meetings, we introduced the contractor, and there were no objections.”

However, the community leaders and residents, united by the banner of the 1000STRONG organisation, in ward 71, and hit back by saying: “All the residents from the surrounding roads categorically gave a resounding ‘no’. Bear in mind that this (project) will adversely affect the failing and (already) damaged infrastructure, reduce water supply that’s currently non-existent, place a strain on all amenities and make Shallcross overpopulated.”

Marcus Richards, leader of 1000STRONG, said: “We are objecting to these developments on our grounds. Shallcross is currently suffering from severe water shedding. We are surrounded by four overflowing informal settlements. No one in Shallcross qualifies as flood victims as there was no public engagement with us to determine this.”

Vowing not to take this “lying down”, Richards said they would engage with the affected Shallcross residents, who were “resilient” and “proactive”.

Asked about the alleged gunshots, Richards said “Our area is a known drug-infested area in Chatsworth. I can confirm that the gunshots were fired, but not by members of the community at the scene where we met with some officials from the department.”  

Meanwhile, Dr Elias Sithole, head of the National Disaster Management Centre, estimated the damage to infrastructure since last week to be close to R1 billion and counting, as the province counted the costs following the floods.

WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995

DAILY NEWS