A property owner is demanding an explanation from eThekwini Municipality after a stairway was constructed without any consultation right in front of her property on 267 Earl Haig Road, in Puntan’s Hill.
Vanessa Naidoo, the owner, said this property was her family home back in the day, belonging to her grandfather and she was brought up in the house before it was petrol bombed by shack dwellers who were upset with eThekwini land invasion department for destroying their shacks. Naidoo’s family was forced to move out. She said that the stairs were built in August last year when she was about to sell the property.
“When the potential buyer went to view the property, she reported to me that she won’t be buying the property because of the staircase which poses a danger for theft and other inconveniencing factors which may occur on the property. I understand that it was built for the dwellers to have access to their homes, however, it was supposed to be built on the servitude just like it was before,” said Naidoo.
Naidoo said that she has been running back and forth, from one municipal office to another to get answers but none were given. “I feel that my rights for this property are being violated. From the time the property was bombed in 2016 by unknown people, it was taken over by shack dwellers who were renting it. From information I gathered, I found out that my outside building on the same property is being used by unknown people. The illegal occupants told the buyer that they will not move out because they pay rent to the ‘community man’.
“My right as the land owner is being abused and this is not only happening to me but to my neighbours as well. I do not understand why I have to pay rates while my rights are being abused. At some point I was charged R6000 for water and electricity for the property after it was bombed. I queried this with the municipality and was told I will be refunded. I spoke to the previous mayor, Zandile Gumede, who promised to compensate me for my losses from the bombing and will ensure that I’m refunded. To date nothing was paid. My car was also burnt in the bomb. My loss was great,” she added. Naidoo said she even feels that selling the property poses a great threat to her and any buyer. She said that the people occupying the property are very vicious and will not go anywhere. She said she has not received any joy from the police as well. EThekwini Municipality was contacted for comment, however, none was received at the time of going to press.
