'First fix the existing issues': Shallcross residents say no to housing for KZN flood victims

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04-03-2025
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News 24
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• Shallcross residents are protesting against a decision to build houses for April 2022 flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal.
• They say existing issues must be addressed first.
• Gunshots were fired during the protest.

Residents of Shallcross in Durban have rejected a provincial Department of Human Settlements proposal to build houses on land in the suburb for victims of the April 2022 floods in KwaZulu-Natal.

The plot is one of four the department identified for housing.

The residents say that if the government doesn't fix existing issues in the area, no houses should be built for the flood victims. 

A group of about 50 residents marched to the site, saying they would not permit any construction.

While they gathered, at least five gunshots were fired, and the residents demanded that department officials leave the area immediately.

Fortuitously, Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma escaped the gunfire because he was late for a site visit.

The situation at the site remains tense.

Community activist Marcus Richards said residents would do whatever they could to stop the construction of low-cost housing.

"This is not a race issue, but we are saying that the government must first fix the existing issues in the area before adding more people," he said.

"Secondly, we are not against the construction of these houses because we have problems with black [people], and we are Indians. It's not that, but we want old issues to be attended to first," he added.

He said the residents were struggling with existing infrastructure.

We have issues with the drainage system, roads are not enough and there's always traffic. We have flats that were built in 1998 and are not yet renovated.

He also said no Shallcross residents were affected by the floods and added that the land identified was the only open space left in the area. He said residents wanted to keep it that way.

KwaZulu-Natal human settlements department spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya told News 24 it was unfortunate that there were groups that were opposed to the building of houses for the flood victims. 

In eThekwini, the department identified about 12 plots for housing for flood victims, Sibiya said.

Meanwhile, News24 understands that the Chatsworth community has taken issue with the accommodation of displaced Lamontville flood victims in a community hall in the area.

Sibiya confirmed that the community protested and called for the removal of the Lamontville flood victims from the hall.

"The MEC is engaging with the department leadership to ensure that we get an alternative venue to host the victims. It's unfortunate that while you have people needing housing, who have lost everything, there are those that want to chase them away," Sibiya said.

Last Wednesday, about 25 of the 100 families taken to the community hall were moved to flats in Durban Central.

The remaining families are waiting at the hall for an update.