Flood victims were overcome with emotion and relief as they received the keys to their new homes at Cornubia, north of Durban, marking a long-awaited step towards stability and dignity after being displaced by the devastating 2022 floods.
For many beneficiaries, the handover of houses represents a turning point after years spent in temporary emergency accommodation.
EThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba, together with KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma, officially launched the handover of 113 houses on Monday, with further allocations set to continue throughout the week.
Between Monday, 18 and Friday, 22 May, houses will be handed over to families currently residing in Transitional Emergency Accommodation (TEAs) located in areas including Mahatma Gandhi (Point), Sydenham’s O’Flaherty Road, Dassenhoek and Ntuzuma.
The municipality said the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to transition flood-affected families in privately owned TEAs into sustainable and dignified housing solutions.
According to the municipality, since the 2022 disaster, more than 4 000 families have been accommodated through TEA arrangements. However, the city noted that these temporary arrangements, many of which involve privately owned facilities, have placed a significant financial strain on the city.
The municipality is therefore accelerating efforts to transition families into permanent housing.
Several interventions are currently underway to support relocation process. These include the allocation of newly built houses in Cornubia, relocation to newly acquired and refurbished units at Montclair Lodge, and placement in TEAs within Cornubia.
In addition, 37 houses have already been handed over to flood-affected families in Illovo, while a further 104 families are expected to move into upgraded flats at Montclair Lodge in the coming weeks.
Addressing the handover ceremony, Duma said progress is being made through collaboration between provincial and national government, as well as the municipality.
“Significant progress continues to be made in restoring dignity to flood-affected families, with more than 4 000 households already accommodated since 2022,” he said.
He added that the National Department of Human Settlements has appointed a contractor to build 500 temporary housing units in Cornubia, supported by an investment of approximately R400 million for bulk infrastructure development.
Xaba said the city has made substantial progress in rebuilding infrastructure damaged during the floods, including the reconstruction of roads, stormwater systems, bridges, and water and sanitation infrastructure.
“By the end of June next year, approximately 1 069 additional flood-affected families are expected to be accommodated,” Xaba said.
For the families receiving homes this week, the handover signals more than just shelter; it represents a renewed sense of hope after years of uncertainty.
The municipality reiterated its commitment to ensuring that all affected households are moved from temporary accommodation into dignified and permanent housing, as part of ongoing recovery efforts. – SAnews.gov.za
