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Durban, KwaZulu-Natal: I wish to inform the listeners of GAGASI fm and the people of KwaZulu-Natal that I  am currently undertaking a visit to 8 families that live in a transit camp in KwaSanti next to Nkanyezini. 

It should be remembered that last week on Thursday evening, myself and Minister of Human Settlements Mammaloko Kubayi were interviewed by Alex Mthiyane on his show Indaba. During a phone-in feature of the show, a listener Ms Khanyi Hlophe detailed their suffering in the transit camp.

I committed myself to respond with speed to the heartbreaking plea from her and all families that have lived in this transit camp since April 2019.  The families were moved into the area after their homes were destroyed by the devastating floods that swept through eThekwini municipality.  

As I visit these families – I wish to state that no human being deserves to live in conditions of squalor in any part of this province. Subjecting these families to a transit camp for such a long period is a matter that I want to address with speed.

Critically, in the past I committed myself to expedite the decommissioning of the unacceptably high number of the existing transit camps in eThekwini Municipality. Currently, there are 71 transit camps in eThekwini.

I have stated that these temporary residential structures have remained an eyesore and an embarrassment.  It is my considered view that transit camps are a total contradiction to the humane and caring characteristic that our government is renowned for.

I have tasked the Head of the Department of Human Settlements and senior officials in the department to continue to work with eThekwini Municipality to assist these families and speed up the eradication of transit camps in general.

Issued by the MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works Jomo Sibiya