Flood victims struggle with 'strict' rules at temporary accommodation

Flood victims from Lamontville, south of Durban, who lost their homes in the devastating February 2025 floods, say their lives remain unsettled as they grapple with strict rules at their temporary accommodation in Umbilo.

The families were first housed at the Bayside Hotel before being relocated in February this year to a former student residence, known locally as Out Spam. While grateful for a roof over their heads, they say the conditions imposed on them are harsh and humiliating.

Among the restrictions are a ban on visitors, a curfew, and a prohibition on alcohol. Residents allege that anyone who breaks the rules faces eviction.

“We are treated like children,” said one of the evicted residents, who described his frustration at the rigid regulations.

“Where have you ever heard of an adult being told when to come home? When our relatives visit us, it becomes a big issue, and we are threatened with eviction.”

Some victims believe the landlords have simply carried over the same rules used when the building housed students.

“The mistake they make is that we are adults with families,” one resident remarked.

The residents say the rules undermine their dignity and infringe on their rights.

KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements spokesperson, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said the department has little room to intervene in the matter. He confirmed that the restrictions were set by the landlord and accepted by residents as part of their accommodation agreement.

“Even at the Bayside Hotel there were complaints about drinking and damage to property,” Sibiya said. 

“When they were moved into this building, they were made aware of the rules and agreed to them. Unfortunately, there is no alternative housing available, as other landlords have refused to take them in.”

The flood victims' rehousing has proven a headache and a logistical nightmare for the eThekwini Municipality and the provincial Human Settlements department due to resistance from some of the communities who live near the government land that had been earmarked to relocate them. 

Residents in Shallcross and Montclair resisted any construction of houses to relocate the flood victims.

The February floods killed more than 20 people, mostly in Lamontville and other parts of areas in the south of Durban, and displaced more than 40 families. 

SUNDAY TRIBUNE