January Tshwane flood victims still living in library as relocation hopes dashed

Residents from Nellmapius, Tshwane who have been housed in a local library after their homes washed away in floods in January are still in the dark about their promised relocation.

And with more wet weather conditions forecast for spring and summer, their uncertainty may be prolonged.

“We were told that the process of relocating us to a safer place process was underway and we were given blankets and food while we waited for a couple of months,” displaced resident Gift Maloka told Pretoria Rekord.

The placement in the local library was meant to be temporary, but eight months later, residents are beginning to question the Tshwane Department of Human Settlements’ promises.

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Nothing to go home to

“Many of us are unemployed and lost everything we owned as it was swept away during the heavy rains.

“Food parcels were delivered as promised when we were temporarily placed at Nellmapius library, but after a few months people started going hungry as food was no longer being delivered,” Maloka said.

Another flood victim, Asavela Ntanjana, told the publication that home affairs officials took the names of everyone who had lost their IDs and birth certificates in the floods months ago, but have not returned.

“Some people got tired of waiting and decided to rebuild their shacks on the flood line.”

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She said rumours were also rife that those who had moved back to their shacks were the ones due to be prioritised when relocation plans begin.

Ntanjana, like many others, has nothing to go back to, with all her possessions swept away.

“Even those who returned were living in fear of history repeating itself. I feel hopeless and lost,” she said.

Samuel Simbini, another Nellmapius resident housed at the local library, said he was dreading the start of the rainy season.

He said if government continues to ignore them, history could repeat itself, and claim more lives in the process.

“We are tired of empty promises and corruption that always delays the relocation process,” said Simbini.

Pretoria Rekord is still awaiting comment from the Tshwane metro’s human settlements department.

Edited by Nica Richards.

This article first appeared on Caxton publication Pretoria Rekord’s website, by Stephen Selaluke. Read the original article here.