The municipal-owned houses are in dire need of maintenance and multiple reports and complaints to the metro by residents has gotten them nowhere.
Ward councillor Dean Stone visited the property last Wednesday and was shown various problems by Petru Verwey, a resident of Presidentia.
“I cannot believe the state these buildings are in,” says Stone, “they are in serious need of repairs.”
All of the residents complain there is a problem with the solar geysers as they do not have hot water.
Some have been without hot water for weeks at a time, forcing them to use more electricity to boil hot water for baths.
“How does the metro expect these residents to live without hot water in winter?” says Stone.
The rusted roofs are causing leaks in almost every house.
Verwey has been a resident of Presidentia for almost 19 years and claims the roofs have never been repaired in all this time.
“The Department of Human Settlements had a meeting at Presidentia on May 13, and on the agenda they state there are no funds available for outstanding maintenance,” says Stone.
He adds residents have taken it upon themselves to make some of the smaller repairs, but cannot afford to do the rest nor is it their responsibility.
On top of the leaking roofs and cold water, residents have to face darkness on the property every evening as most of the lamp posts outside are not working and haven’t been for weeks.
“Not only that,” says Stone, “but the paths on the property are hardly fit for elderly people to walk on as they are cracked and broken in many places. People with wheelchairs struggle to manoeuvre over the loose stones in the pathway.”
Verwey says people are furious about the whole situation.
The Addie is awaiting response from the metro.
