KZN municipalities urged to enforce by-laws to prevent informal settlements

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has issued a firm call to action for all municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal to rigorously enforce by-laws, particularly to prevent the establishment of informal settlements in areas susceptible to natural disasters.

This directive comes on the heels of devastating floods that ravaged parts of New Hanover on Sunday, resulting in significant destruction of homes within the uMshwathi Local Municipality.

MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi, who leads KZN CoGTA, raised the critical need for stringent adherence to established municipal regulation because the failure to do so can lead to tragic outcomes.

“Even the sites on which people have built, the municipality had not given them permission to do so.

"Therefore, we are calling on municipalities across the province to enforce by-laws strictly because that is what is going to save lives,” Buthelezi stated.

Buthelezi lamented the lack of enforcement that has contributed to the high number of deaths during natural calamities.

He explained that often it was that victims of flood devastation were often individuals who constructed homes in prohibited zones, an oversight that undermined local governance efforts.

“It is very unfortunate that even the victims that we are talking about today are simply because people they have built in areas which they are not supposed to build on,” he said.

However, Secretary General of Abahlali Basemnjondolo, Thapelo Mohapi accused the MEC of being detached from what was happening on the ground.

Mohapi said the land question had not been properly addressed in the country.

“People are desperate for a shelter and to be closer to places of opportunities. We move to major cities for opportunities. No one wants to be away from their homes.

"Because of the high levels of poverty; unemployment and inequality. People move to cities for opportunities and to take care of our families. A government that is rooted in the ground would understand the issues that people are facing,” Mohapi explained.

He said that it was a well researched that South Africa was the most unequal country in the world.

He added that wealth was still in the hands of a few elite.

“Those who live in the rural areas and in shack settlements are neglected by the state. Our dignity does not count in the eyes of the government. We count for nothing. We are regarded as banks for votes.

"We are only important during elections. The corruption and the lack of the political will of the government of the day, results in all the problems that we are facing,” Mohapi said.

In a bid to prioritise recovery efforts, the department has pledged immediate assistance to all flood victims in New Hanover.

MEC Buthelezi stressed that the primary focus must remain on saving lives.

He revealed a concerning demographic trend, noting that many affected individuals were foreign nationals.

This fact complicates the response as authorities continue to navigate the legal and humanitarian aspects of their intervention.

As search and rescue operations were ongoing, concerns escalate as two individuals remain unaccounted for amid the aftermath of the flooding.

Authorities faced further complications when several flood victims fled from designated community shelters during the evacuation process.

Initial reports suggest that most of those who absconded were Lesotho nationals, who may be residing in South Africa illegally.

DAILY NEWS