Newcastle pensioners fight municipal eviction from decades-old homes

TWENTY-three families in Newcastle, many living on pensioner grants, face eviction by March after the municipality decided to sell their long-term homes to a private buyer.

“We won't even have food to eat,” said one tenant who has lived in the Suryaville Municipal Staff Flats for the past eight years.

Tenants are now challenging what they described as an “unfair and distasteful” eviction process.

The families, some who have been living in the flats for several decades, said they were informed that they would have to vacate their flats by March, as it would be sold to a private buyer.

They have since written to the Newcastle Municipality, and are hoping for a resolution at a meeting set to take place today (Wednesday). 

Steven Surujballie, a tenant and convenor of the task team who will be attending the meeting, said the tenants received the eviction notices in mid-December. 

“We were left shocked, as no one, not even our councillor informed us of this decision. Tenants who were at home were handed the letter, but others came home to find it pushed under their door. We were also given the notice during the festive season. Instead of it being a joyous time, we were left feeling stressed.”

Surujballie, 61, said he had been a tenant for the past eight years and lived with his mother-in-law, and wife, 57. 

“Currently, our only income is my mother-in-law and my pensioner’s grant. With this, we are able to pay our rent, water and electricity, and buy food. If we had to rent elsewhere, we would not survive. We won’t even have food to eat. We have also made this our home, now they want us to just leave. It is unfair.

“I am now hoping for an alternative solution at the meeting, or we would have to take this matter further,” he said. 

Chandane Bhirraj, 71, has been living in the flat, on her own, for the past 28 years. 

“I enjoy my independence, and do not wish to stay with any relatives. Right now, I am able to pay my rent and utilities with my pensioner’s grant, and my children help me with my other needs such as food. 

“I was shocked and scared when my neighbour called me to say we received the eviction notice. I was attending my grandson’s wedding in Johannesburg at the time. They did not even have the decency to arrange a meeting and tell us about what they were doing. 

“I also cannot afford to rent anywhere as it will cost about R5000 to rent an outbuilding. I just hope they have a change of heart, because we have been living here so long, and made sure to pay our rent on time,”  she said. 

Aadil Mahomed, 41, said he together with his mother, now late, and two siblings moved into the flat in 1985. 

He currently lives there with his wife and two daughters. 

“I was a year-old when we moved into the flat. My mother who needed housing applied for the flat, and qualified. This is our home, it is where we lived our entire lives, and where our children were born.” 

Mahomed said he currently received a disability grant, and his wife was casually employed. 

“We are just able to make ends meet now, but it is still  tough. We will not be able to rent elsewhere, as we would not even be able to scrape up the deposit and first month’s rent that is required. Nowadays, you need at least R7 000 to R8 000 before you could move into a place. 

“We feel what they are doing is unfair. They say it is due to not being able to maintain the flat, but as part of our rent we pay a fee for maintenance. What has the money been used for? They have not done any repairs or renovations in years. We were also made promises that we would be given the flats years ago, but nothing ever happened,”  he said. 

Sarika Mathudeen, said she had been living in the flat for the past three decades. 

She lives with her mother, Shikila Mathudeen, 64, and her two children, aged 17 and 15. 

“I was 12 years old when we moved to Newcastle. At the time, my father, who is now late, wasn’t earning well, so we qualified for the flat. This has been the only place we know as home, even my children have lived here their whole lives. 

“Right now, we are not in any position to rent elsewhere. We rely on my mother’s pensioner’s grant as I work as an assistant at a school, but only when I am needed. It is hard to find a permanent job, no matter how hard I try. I am fearful that my mother, children and I will be on the streets,” she said. 

Mathudeen said she was also upset that a decision was taken in October, and they were informed a month-and-a-half later.

“They had a meeting on October 1, yet we were told in December just before Christmas. They also closed on December 22, and were able to have a good holiday, but we left feeling stressed. Why treat us in such a manner?

“We will have to fight this eviction because we cannot afford to go. We also question, if they cannot maintain the flat, why not give it to us, we will do it ourselves. We know they are able to give it to us as they did with the tenants of another block of municipal-flats in the same area. That should be the only option, instead of leaving us homeless,” she said. 

Matthew Shunmugam, chairperson of the Newcastle District and Residents Forum and former ward 3 councillor for almost 26 years, said when contacted by the tenants for assistance, he engaged the municipality. 

He said if there was no resolution, they would be pursuing their legal options.

“According to the response from the municipality, they have decided to sell the flats due to financial constraints, resulting in them not being able to do renovations. This is a lame excuse, because in the rental they received, there is an amount for maintenance, both internal and external, so what has that money been used for?

“They have also cited in their response, that according to the municipal Financial Management Act, assets can be disposed of when there is no use for it. However, in this case, our argument is that there are 23 families living in the flats, you cannot dispose of it. Furthermore, if they do want to sell the flats, then it is their duty to find alternate, affordable housing for the families. One of the municipality’s core-function is to provide housing, not displace people,”  he said.

The municipality did not respond at the time of going to print. 

THE POST