Residents of the Newcastle Municipal flats in Ward 3 are up in arms over the almost inhumane condition of their flats. Speaking to the Newcastle Express, Nalini Harripersadh, who has been living there for almost 40 years, expressed her exasperation at the situation, saying that it is unsafe for her and her family to continue living like this.
“The summer rains have made the situation worse. My roof is leaking at almost every corner of the flat, to the point where my furniture is rotting while others have been completely destroyed. The asbestos wall, that is supposed to be protecting us in one of the bedrooms even, has a hole. Living on the third floor my greatest fear is that the entire wall will collapse,” said Harripersadh. She said that attempts to get the situation resolved have proved fruitless. “We have contacted our ward councillor and promises were made but nothing has materialised. It is sad that when one is poor, then we get taken advantage of. I cannot keep on living like this and I am now desperate for intervention,” she said. Harripersadh said that the Body Corporate for the Municipal Flats is no longer in existence. “When we did have a body corporate, inspections were done but nothing came of it. It is inhumane to be living like this. On many occasions when walking in my kitchen, I have been electrocuted and can feel live current running through my body. It is an everyday health risk to live in this place,” she said. Many of the other residents share the same sentiments and said that they have even been told that they are not part of Ward 3. “We have been forgotten and continue to live in these horrendous conditions,” said one of the residents. The Newcastle Express will follow up on this story once more information is provided. At time of going to press, a meeting regarding the situation was scheduled to take place.
