Lockdown level 2: Fears of eviction escalate for Durban families

THE five-month ban on evictions was lifted earlier this month as the country entered level 2 of the lockdown. In the gazetted guidelines, it stated courts are now able to issue eviction orders subject to a number of considerations.

Berea Mail published two separate stories during the national lockdown on two women who, along with their families, were on the verge of being evicted from their homes.

Both women were saved by the fact that courts were prohibited from issuing eviction notices during level 3, 4 and 5.

Nesi Ngcobo, a 62-year-old pensioner, currently resides in the sectional title Elwyn Court, South Beach.

Back in April, Ngcobo had racked up a bill of over R300 000 from levies, rent and compounded interest.

“Nothing has changed. I am expecting anything,” said Ngcobo. “We are still on the edge, things were quiet during lockdown but now the court letters (from the administrator) have returned so we don’t know what will happen.”

ALSO READ: #Lockdown: Self-employed Durban mum of three fears eviction

Ngcobo is not the only pensioner at Elwyn with a similar problem.

After hearing the news that the ban on eviction orders had been lifted, Ngcobo said she and other pensioners were planning on meeting this week to discuss a way forward.

Before the lockdown, they were planning on asking the eThekwini Municipality to intervene.

The situation is different for self-employed mother of three, *Disanksa Mutombo.

Back in June, Mutombo, a foreign national from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had written to Berea Mail detailing her fears of her family being thrown out onto the streets.

Mutombo, who works as an independent beautician, had not paid rent for three months due to lockdown regulations not allowing her to work.

“The situation is better now, I have managed to pay some of the money back,” said Mutombo. Mutombo said she has managed to get new tenants with the room that was left vacant by the university students. “Business has been slow because a lot of my regular customers lost their jobs so good days are few and far between.”

*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the mother.

Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting

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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.

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