Residents, Beverly Pillay, Govindamma Kistensamy, Viloshnie Moodley, Tony Govender (councillor), Pastor Reynauld Pillay, and Stallan Jankipersad at the flats during a community engagement meeting last week.
Image: Yoshini Perumal
OVER 250 residents of the Westcliff Flats expressed their dissatisfaction with the state of their homes during a meeting with ward councillor Tony Govender, who revealed funding constraints and new policies that might affect tenants.
At the meeting last week, the residents were provided with feedback about paying for their title deeds while the flats was plagued with infrastructure challenges.
Govender said he had a meeting with the Department of Housing two weeks ago, where he was told that upgrades were not immediately possible due to funding restrictions, and that a new policy would be put into place where all residents would be profiled every three years with new lease agreements signed every three years.
“I was told that this would be done to regulate the tenants. This makes no sense because this would be pushing tenants to sign sectional title deeds to avoid being profiled every three years.
“Residents are obviously unhappy because these flats are in an appalling state which is in dire need of repairs. The majority of the residents expressed dissatisfaction, frustration and disappointment with the high-handed attitude of the municipality’s policies, and vowed to not accept anything until something tangible was put on the table.
“This means that renters would rent forever, whereas sectional title deed owners will have an asset and leave a legacy for their families as they can sell the flat at some point and move on,” he added.
Govender said he had also requested for one block of flats to be demolished after its structure was condemned two years ago, and for a park to be created for the flats' community.
“Residents have been cautioned about selling off their flats illegally to unsuspecting buyers, because the buyers stand to lose both the home and the money. Illegal recycling businesses must also stop as this breeds large rats and vermin, and is also unhealthy for residents living close by
“Lastly, residents must also be courteous and not block off the common use footpaths for others to use, especially our elderly. We will do what we can to fight for the funding to repair the flats, which are overcrowded, and home to mostly elderly residents and pensioners,” Govender added.