The extent of what has now become a full-blown human rights crisis involving KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) flood victims has emerged over the past few days. This while the ANC in the province is nowhere to be seen.
Two incidents of moving flood victims out of halls this week have failed dismally with claims by reliable sources that a group moved out of Westville’s Truro Hall – who are now staying at the Royal Hotel – may not be receiving the best treatment. It appears that despite being in a luxury hotel, these flood victims are anxious to be moved to other accommodation.
Meanwhile, more than 100 flood victims, including women, children and the elderly, were left stranded overnight outside Lamontville police station after being denied access to another facility. These people had no access to toilets or food and had to sleep on bus seats for two nights.
This group could have been housed at the Lamontville community hall. Instead they were sent to Lamontville SAPS and left to sleep outside in cold, rainy conditions.
Yesterday, the group was moved again – this time to dilapidated student accommodation on the Berea where they are again having to put up with filthy, inhumane conditions. This includes up to seven people sleeping in one small room and others having to sleep on the open veranda due to insufficient space. (view here, here, and here)
There are five matric students amongst this group. Apart from having to study under such trying conditions, they are now unable to get to school due to the travel distance from the Berea to uMlazi and Lamontville.
Despite the ordeal being experienced by this group, not a single departmental official has been to see them. Nor have they been given any information on what is going to happen to them.
This lack of information is now creating panic at several shelters in KZN as flood victims are simply moved from one place to another without any real engagement with government.
This ANC-run government is now facing a full-blown human rights crisis of its very own making.
The manner in which it has dealt with KZN’s flood victims from the very beginning is shocking. Only an uncaring government that would allow already homeless people, who have lost everything, to face eviction and then move them from one unacceptable venue to another.
It is clear that that the provincial government does not have a clue what it is doing. It is also clear that KZN’s Department of Human Settlements, under MEC Nthuthuko Mhlaba is unable to resolve the crisis.
The DA has approached the South African Human Rights Commission requesting an urgent meeting in order to find solutions on behalf of KZN’s flood victims. This travesty can no longer continue.