A Durban woman who is among hundreds of illegal occupants of the St Moritz building raided during a police operation on Tuesday, said they are forced to use one communal tap for water.
Nolizwe Zondi, 60, whose infant grandchild was perched on her hip and looked curiously at KwaZulu-Natal premier Thami Ntuli, told him about her life at the hijacked building in the inner city.
Ntuli, eThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba and provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi were part of a multidisciplinary operation which raided six buildings, including an illegally occupied, municipality-owned high-rise.
“We don’t pay for water. We have a similar tap to what we have in the township where everyone goes to draw the water,” said Zondi.
She lives with her university-going children at the dilapidated 10-storey building which is characterised by the nauseating smell of urine and rot, with rodents running amok.
Originally from uMzimkhulu on the KZN south coast, Zondi admitted knowing the type of “shenanigans” which take place at the building, having lived there for 17 years.
“We know there are people who are up to no good and who are selling [illegal] substances,” said Zondi.
A police dog which was part of the team that combed through the building proved Zondi's point when he netted drugs from some of the tenants.
The officials also spoke to Thembelihle Dube, 70, who told them there was a body corporate who ran the derelict building.
Having lived in the building since 1994, Dube blamed the tenants for the condition of the building.
“This used to be a beautiful building. The people who live here have no respect whatsoever, especially the illegal residents. These people [foreign nationals] should go back to their home countries,” said Dube.
She said another problem was that people had fled informal dwellings to live in the building and she was unsure whether they paid levies.
“One thing which pains me is seeing a tenant who is using the flat to make money for themselves by inviting other tenants,” said Dube.
Mkhwanazi said though they had learnt there was a body corporate in place, it seemed as if there was no order.
“Water has been cut off and there is one tap which is being used by everyone. They have literally just hijacked the building,” said Mkhwanazi.
One person who was allegedly collecting rent money from illegal residents of one of the buildings was taken in for questioning.
During the operation, 117 rounds of ammunition of various calibre and large amounts of liquor were seized. Two of the hijacked buildings with illegally connected water and electricity were disconnected.
A suspect was arrested after he was found in possession of cocaine and crystal meth as well as an undisclosed amount of money.
He said police arrested more than 123 people, including some in possession of drugs, and seized R4.1m in counterfeit US dollar notes, while others were arrested for being in the country illegally.
“There are others who are illegally renting and collecting money from people,” said Mkhwanazi.
He said they will continue to clamp down on illegal occupations.
“When we go past a building we should always find the place clean,” said Mkhwanazi.
Buoyed by the operation's success, Ntuli said this was the first of many operations across the province.
“For us as the government, it’s a priority to rejuvenate the metro as it is an economic hub of KZN. There will be more operations,” said Ntuli.
“Even for these buildings to be revitalised it will require some kind of co-operation. It’s important to address illegal criminal activities,” he said. He hoped this move would assist in re-attracting investors to the province.
