The Shallcross swimming pool has been neglected for decades
Image: Yoshini Perumal
RESIDENTS of Shallcross are rallying against decades of neglect, demanding better municipal services and community restoration as they face ongoing decay, illegal dumping and safety concerns
The local swimming pool has been closed for 27 years and the sports grounds have not been repaired since 2010 after it was vandalised and felt into disrepair.
The embattled community said they were also plagued by ongoing power and water outages, illegal dumping, damaged roads and drug dealing.
Land invasion and burgeoning informal settlements added strain on the already crumbling infrastructure, the residents said.
Pooh Govender, chairperson of the Shallcross Civic and Ratepayers Association (Scara), said this was once a pristine community to live in, but it had been poorly serviced by the municipality over the years.
He also blamed inactive ward councillors who “lacked hands-on leadership”, for the poor service delivery and neglect.
“When people were moved to Shallcross over 60 years ago, there were no amenities, petrol stations, community hall or shopping centres.
The paddling pool has not been maintained.
Image: Yoshini Perumal
“Since the dawn of democracy, all that has changed. After 1994, people wanted to be politicians, not understanding that it meant they should serve and fight for the community. We have four ward councillors for the area, and none of them work with us. They do not come for meetings, or accept invitations to community events.
“Years later, we see the rot. People need to take ownership and cast their votes wisely in the upcoming local government elections. Shallcross should be reconstituted into a single ward instead of four so that we can have organic growth and one person who we could hold accountable.
“There are no recreational facilities for youth, and had led to them going down the wrong path, leading to social ills, like drug addiction and crime,” Govender said.
Pooh Govender at the vacant land which was donated to the ratepayers association by the city for community development.
Image: Yoshini Perumal
Infrastructure damage
He said they were frustrated that potholes and damaged roads were not repaired, causing damages to vehicles. He described as poor basic services like refuse removals.
“We are tired of the neglect. We want to move away from complaining and want residents to take ownership of Shallcross. We are preparing to propose that Shallcross get a community improvement precinct like uMhlanga’s urban improvement precinct, where we get a portion of our rates back to manage the area, including beautifying it and paying for security.
“In this way, the community would manage its own fees and we would be able to fix the roads, the potholes and the ageing infrastructure. This seems to be the only way to get action. If we call for a protest, only 50 residents would turn up which is not effective for our voices to be heard,” added Govender.
Informal settlements
For residents, Shallcross Road – the main road in the area – had become a societal and political problem.
“The government allowed the land to be invaded with no control of it. The Bottlebrush Informal Settlement, which is situated along Shallcross Road, mushroomed in 2009.
“Now, it has grown to over 12 000 people. In 1985, there was about 50 shacks at the settlement. The area has become a political hotbed. Instead of the invasion being cleared, it grew and served a political end.
“Shack lords are now renting shacks in the area, and there has been an influx of foreign nationals. In recent years, more informal settlements have mushroomed opposite Bottlebrush, including at Naicker and Harinagar roads.
Link Road in Shallcross during a service delivery protest
Image: Supplied
“People are living along the train line and there is no proper sewage system built in the area for 16 years.
“Shack dwellers have a set of portable toilets, but each shack has a pit toilet which flows into the ravine. No solutions have been sought for them and this results in ongoing protests, where the informal residents burn the road and cause damage to infrastructure.
“The informal settlements need urgent attention before the roads are repaired again. If there is no solution to the service delivery issues, then the shack dwellers will continue to vandalise and cause damage to the roads, leading to further dilapidation in our area,” he said.
Frustration mounts
Jerald Vedan, a Shallcross resident for 50 years, said it was “deeply disheartening” to see the area so neglected.
“My heart bleeds when I see the litter strewn throughout our streets, and the illegal dumping sites that remain uncleared for weeks on end. Our grievances extend far beyond sanitation. Residents face constant disruptions with the water and electricity supply together with burst pipes, and despite our dutiful and persistent reporting to the authorities, the service response is unbearably slow.
“The decay of our community assets is a physical scar on our pride. We navigate a daily hazard with dangerous potholes on our roads daily. It is not a matter of if, but when, a fatal accident will occur. What makes this so frustrating is that these are not complex, unprecedented issues. All these problems, from the potholes to the pool, can be addressed in the normal course of eThekwini Municipality’s work.
“That is what makes this council's apparent inaction so mystifying. The people of Shallcross are not asking for special favours. We are simply asking for the basic municipal services we are entitled to and pay for. We are demanding answers as to the cause of this prolonged administrative malaise,” he added.
The poor state of the Shallcross Sports Stadium
Image: Yoshini Perumal
Housing for flood victims
Vedan said the municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements had indicated that plans to provide permanent housing for flood victims were proceeding, and that further engagements with residents had taken place.
“We note that the identified land parcels in Shallcross remain under consideration, with infrastructure assessments relating to water, sanitation, electricity and road access reportedly under way.
“While we recognise the urgency of providing permanent homes for flood-affected families, it is essential that this process is accompanied by clear planning, measurable timelines and transparent decision-making,” he added.
He said this year, the community expected to see formal council resolutions and zoning approvals regarding the Shallcross sites.
“Equally important would be updated municipal infrastructure investment plans that demonstrate how existing service pressures will be addressed alongside any new housing development. Progress on other permanent housing projects across eThekwini must also be closely monitored, as this will affect both timelines and the allocation of resources,” said Vedan.
“Our community supports lawful and humane housing solutions. However, sustainable development requires accountability, proper consultation and infrastructure readiness. The success of this project will depend not only on good intentions, but on careful implementation that protects both flood victims and the long-term stability of Shallcross,” he added.
Navigating potholes and rubbish
Mahendra Lillkan, former chairperson of the Shallcross Community Police Forum (CPF), said driving through the area was a nightmare.
“We are greeted by overgrown bushes and rubbish strewn discarded from refuse bags. This while trying to avoid the potholes on every road.
“As ratepaying residents, we are denied basic service delivery. The grass and trees are never cut. The refuse is not collected because the trucks always experience mechanical issues.
“When we are fortunate to have burst water pipes repaired, the holes and rubble left behind are never filled or removed. When one drives on Link Road, one will see at least four cleaners sweeping the roads.
“We have daily water and electricity outages with no answers from either the councillor or the municipality. It is sad, but those in power are responsible for the demise of our once beautiful suburb. We will do what it takes, and stand together to fight for service delivery this year,” Lillkan added.
Dhivesh Durgapersadh, a community leader, said service delivery issues in Shallcross were marked by systemic failures in providing basic amenities like water, electricity, sanitation and waste removal.
“Over and above this, we do not get clear updates from the local councillor. We are forced to live with huge potholes that were initially dug to repair water leaks that to date have yet to be filled. There seems to be no urgency when it comes to service delivery. We are calling for immediate
action. We need funding to be allocated to repair the community pool and the sports ground, and to restore the roads,” he said.
Elderly live in fear
A resident from the Taurus Street flats, who did not want to be named for safety reasons, described living in fear due to “being surrounded by drugs”.
The elderly man said he was forced to stay behind locked doors due to the number of shootings and the levels of violence he had witnessed while living in Shallcross for the past 49 years.
He said he watched the rise of many drug dens in Taurus Street, and was forced to mind his own business for the sake of his safety.
“We often hear gunshots at all times of the day and night. When I hear the gunshots, I lie on the floor or crawl near furniture if I am unable to lay down due to my body pain. Youngsters in this area are violent and have learnt the ways of their relatives, who are so-called gangsters.
“Gangsterism and drug dealing has spiralled out of control here. Police come and go as they please without arresting anyone. There is too much corruption. Sometimes, I feel like I have had enough of watching young people throw their lives away and kill each other because of drugs. Sometimes I feel the urge to contact the police to give them information.
“But I stop when I think about the violence, and the brazen behaviour of these thugs. I mind my own business, not because it is right, but because I know that I cannot change anything,” he added.
The grandfather said he could not tolerate the level of disrespect from youngsters.
“Back in the day, even our neighbour would give us a tight slap if we did wrong, or if we indulged in drugs or alcohol. They would then tell our parents, who would beat us up again.
“Nowadays, family members and neighbours are encouraging children to sell drugs for them. Children as young as 10 stand as lookouts for the drug dens. They are rude and arrogant when they notice us watching them.
“The age-old saying that it takes a village to raise a child is very true. But in Shallcross, we will need the village to be improved, and for the rot to be cleared so that the village can shape and mould children as was done in the early days,” he said.