Kwa-Mathambo residents block off Old North Coast Road

KWA-MATHAMBO Informal Settlement residents have now blocked Old North Coast Road by setting fire to pieces of wood, tyres and other materials. Earlier this week they threatened to make Durban ungovernable by invading a piece of municipal land to highlight their plight.

They began their land invasion yesterday but due to a shortage of building materials, were only able to put up the shells of 15 shacks before they were demolished by the municipality’s Land Invasion Unit this morning.

They are angry that the city has ignored their calls for better living conditions and service delivery.

In 2013, a fire tore through the settlment destroying 270 shacks and leaving hundreds of people homeless. At the time the municipality promised to build houses for the community, however, 29 families are still waiting to receive the ‘dwellings’ that were promised to them.

Several angry residents told the Northglen News they would continue to build their shacks on municipal land until their concerns were taken seriously.