The eThekwini Municipality's Human Settlements, Engineering and Transport Committee called for the national and provincial Human Settlements departments to outline short-, medium-, and long-term interventions to address challenges related to informal settlements.
The eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association (ERRA) Chairperson, Ish Prahladh, said the municipality is not doing enough to stop informal settlements from expanding.
Prahladh this week said if the municipality had been proactive 20 years ago, residents would not be dealing with the issue of 600 informal settlements on their doorsteps.
Prahladh was responding to the municipality approaching the national and KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements departments for assistance in addressing the growing challenges facing informal settlement upgrading in urban areas.
“The municipality has turned a blind eye to the problem. Illegal water and electricity connections place a significant burden on ratepayers. Businesses are operating in informal settlements without any licences,” Prahladh said.
