ETHEKWINI NEWSFLASH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ETHEKWINI ACCELERATES PERMANENT HOUSING DELIVERY WITH 113 CORNUBIA UNITS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS
There were emotional scenes of relief and celebration as families who were displaced by the 2022 floods received the keys to their new homes at Cornubia today, 18 May.
For many, the handover marked a step towards stability after living in temporary accommodation.
EThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba, together with the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, officially commenced the handover of 113 houses, with further allocations continuing throughout this week.
From today, 18 May to Friday, 22 May, a total of 113 houses will be handed over in Cornubia to families currently residing in Transitional Emergency Accommodation (TEAs) located in Mahatma Gandhi (Point), Sydenham O’Flaherty Road, Dassenhoek, and Ntuzuma.
The Municipality has confirmed that it will no longer accommodate flood-affected families in privately owned TEAs, as part of a broader strategy to transition beneficiaries into sustainable and dignified housing solutions.
Since 2022, more than 4 000 flood-affected families have been accommodated through TEA arrangements.
However, these temporary measures have placed a significant financial burden on the City.
The Municipality is therefore accelerating efforts to transition families into permanent housing.
The following interventions are currently being implemented to support relocation:
* Allocation of newly built houses in Cornubia
* Relocation to newly acquired and refurbished units at Montclair Lodge
* Placement in TEAs within Cornubia.
In addition, 37 houses have already been handed over to families in Illovu.
In the coming weeks, a further 104 families will be relocated to refurbished flats at Montclair Lodge.
MEC Duma said that, in collaboration with the Municipality and national government, significant progress continues to be made in restoring dignity to flood-affected families, with more than 4 000 households already accommodated since 2022.
He further confirmed that the National Department of Human Settlements has appointed a contractor to construct 500 temporary housing units in Cornubia, supported by an investment of approximately R400 million for bulk infrastructure development.
Mayor Xaba said the City has made substantial progress in recovering from the 2022 floods, including the reconstruction of roads, stormwater systems, bridges, and water and sanitation infrastructure.
He added that by the end of June next year, approximately 1 069 additional flood-affected families are expected to be accommodated.
The Municipality reiterates its commitment to ensuring that all affected families are transitioned from temporary accommodation into dignified, permanent housing.
ENDS
Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Marketing and Communications Directorate
