THEY’RE scraping by month by month, living hand to mouth and reliant on their meagre social grants. Some are disabled, some are pensioners who are sole providers for their family, many have nowhere else to go. These are the heartbreaking stories of residents who reside in the council housing estate, Kenneth Gardens, and who are concerned that their 15 per cent rent increases are not only beyond their means, but that council has not informed them officially of the increase.
This was revealed at an oversite visit to the estate by DA spokesperson for Human Settlements and Infrastructure, Martin Meyer on Monday. Meyer visited council owned flats in Chatsworth, Amanzimtoti, Phoenix and eThekwini to hear from residents themselves on the impact the rental increase would have on them as well as to assess the state of maintenance of the various council residential properties.
He will be compiling a report of issues brought to light by residents to put forward as a motion in Council.
“The increase in rent is a big problem, as in most cases, the rent is more than the residents receive as grants and this is not including the expense of food, electricity and so on. The municipality is expecting people to pay more than they are getting to live on,” said Meyer.
Of major concern to residents, who spoke to Meyer, ward 33 councillor, Mmabatho Tembe, and ward 33 committee member, Thami Khoza, was the fact that they had not received any letter or communication from the municipality advising them of the increase which will be enforced from 1 July. According to Tembe, the city was meant to meet with residents to discuss the rent increases.
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Residents explained that they were surviving on social grants and could not afford the 15 per cent hike in rents.
Joyce Gunkel said she and her husband Charles, who have lived in their flat since 1992, had no idea how they were going to cope with the increased rent.
“Our rent is already too high, how are we going to eat? The municipality usually informs us in advance, but the fact they haven’t is not fair at all. We don’t see what grounds they have for increasing our rent as the municipality doesn’t see to the grounds and the flats haven’t been painted in years. We are both pensioners and we have two grandchildren to look after,” said Joyce.
Khanyi Sibiya moved into her flat in 1992 and said it hadn’t been painted since she took up residence there. She showed Meyer, Tembe and Khoza the black mold in her bathroom, the peeling paint in her flat and the borer in her floors.
“I am a pensioner and my grandchildren live with me. I am the breadwinner, but we already don’t have enough to survive. With an increase in rent, I don’t know what we will do,” she said.
Another resident said he didn’t know how he would manage after the rental increase. He said he battled with his health, and never knew where the next meal would come from. He relies on the feeding scheme at the housing estate.
One resident said she understood rentals had to be increased but felt the city needed to ‘come to the party’.
“The buildings and grounds are not maintained and the city allows people to live in flats without paying. This needs to stop,” she said.
