By Nasiha Khan
The long time residents of 124 Smithfield Road in Kenville are calling for help amid fears that they are in danger of losing their lives due to the decrepit state of the building, which has long since been abandoned by the owners.
Eighteen-year-old Aysha Tyolo, who has lived in 124 Smithfield her entire life, said that in the last 20 years the building has suffered three major fires, each further debilitating the structures ability to keep standing. The heavy rains experienced in the region recently have only added to the resident’s woes.
“Whenever it is raining we don’t sleep at night, out of fear because the entire place gets flooded. We actually don’t have a roof in most parts of the building. We had to put up metal sheets, which do nothing against the rain,” said Tyolo.
She added that that the flooding is only one of the numerous problems that they are facing. She said: “Its not a stable place, the concrete is all on the floor. The whole place shakes when it is windy. Even the steel structure is visible through the concrete. We have no electricity or running water. One day this building will kill us,” said Tyolo.
According to Tyolo, there are currently 40 people who are currently rooming in the building with the youngest resident being an infant of four months. When asked if the residents had any luck seeking alternate living arrangements, Tyolo responded that they have nowhere else to go.
“Most of us are unemployed, we don’t have the means to move elsewhere. Recently we have tried to build some shacks in the bush behind the building but the municipality put a stop to it.”
Speaking to Durban North News, Tyolo’s mother, Nora, who has made 124 Smithfield her home for the last 20 years said that long time residents like her have been totally abandoned. “We don’t know who owns this land or building anymore. When I first moved in, the owner was a man by the name of Selvin Govender. He passed away many years ago and no one has came forward to claim this place,” she said.
According to Ward 34 Councillor Bobby Maharajh, his greatest fear is that the building will one day collapse on the residents. “That building always bugged me, it’s an eyesore! The condition deteriorated to such an extent that it became a big issue for me with regards to the municipality. I reported it and met with a couple of municipal employee’s who were talking to the residents. They didn’t say anything except that they sent people to do an investigation; I have not seen a report and it has been over a year,” said Cllr Maharajh.
EThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela, confirmed that 124 Smithfield is a private property, therefore the onus lies with the property owner to protect their property or surrender it to Council, should they find them difficult to maintain and/or protect it. He said the municipality therefore, does not have the power to act in the absence of an official letter, preferably endorsed by the court of law asking for the City to intervene.
“Some derelict buildings are owned by people who live abroad, some are leased or sub-let to a number of tenants, some have been ‘hijacked’ and some are owned by people who are deceased. Therefore, the City cannot apply a blanket approach in dealing with some of these complex cases. The Municipality appeals to property owners to ensure that their properties are well maintained as derelict buildings impact negatively on the surrounding neighbourhood. Residents can also report any illegal activity to the South African Police Service and Metro Police,” Mayisela said.
