THE Buffalo City Metro in East London is expected to build 118 temporary homes for about 493 Duncan Village fire victims today.
More than 100 shacks burnt down at the weekend, displacing about 800 people and killing one.
Mayor Zukiswa Ncitha said the temporary structures would be placed in Block Yard - an open piece of land in Duncan Village - while the municipality finalised getting the victims new RDP houses in Reeston.
Ncitha could not provide a specific time-frame for the completion of the RDP project but promised it would be soon. The allocation of temporary structures, she said, should have been completed by yesterday but was delayed due to "unforeseen circumstances".
Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the delay was caused by a provincial government requirement that the municipality must first provide water and sanitation facilities before structures can be erected.
"We are working round the clock to make sure we beat the deadline," Ngwenya said.
Yesterday the mayor advised grief-stricken residents to be patient while the municipality finalised "outstanding issues".
"I won't stop coming to this place until your housing issues are resolved," she promised.
The mayor was moved when she encountered 76-year-old Olga Tumela, who lost her home as a result of the fire.
Tumela told the mayor that her 50-year-old wheelchair-bound son would need a place to stay when he is discharged from hospital.
"I will make sure that the municipality fast-track the rebuilding of your house," Ncitha promised.
Residents told the mayor, emergency services personnel, SA Social Security Agency and human settlements department officials that the temporary structures should be placed in C-section where the fire broke out, and not Block Yard.
The mayor refused their request, saying: "We can't keep on going round in circles. You need to get out of here so that we can develop this place properly. These temporary structures must be removed and we can't do that while they are here."
Ncitha said residents would receive food parcels and blankets at the new structures, to be funded by the metro's disaster management relief fund.
Resident Nonzukiso Ndinayo said her family would be happy to move "wherever as long as we have a roof over our heads".
Mayor promises RDP houses in Duncan Village
THE Buffalo City Metro in East London is expected to build 118 temporary homes for about 493 Duncan Village fire victims today.
More than 100 shacks burnt down at the weekend, displacing about 800 people and killing one.
Mayor Zukiswa Ncitha said the temporary structures would be placed in Block Yard - an open piece of land in Duncan Village - while the municipality finalised getting the victims new RDP houses in Reeston.
Ncitha could not provide a specific time-frame for the completion of the RDP project but promised it would be soon. The allocation of temporary structures, she said, should have been completed by yesterday but was delayed due to "unforeseen circumstances".
Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the delay was caused by a provincial government requirement that the municipality must first provide water and sanitation facilities before structures can be erected.
"We are working round the clock to make sure we beat the deadline," Ngwenya said.
Yesterday the mayor advised grief-stricken residents to be patient while the municipality finalised "outstanding issues".
"I won't stop coming to this place until your housing issues are resolved," she promised.
The mayor was moved when she encountered 76-year-old Olga Tumela, who lost her home as a result of the fire.
Tumela told the mayor that her 50-year-old wheelchair-bound son would need a place to stay when he is discharged from hospital.
"I will make sure that the municipality fast-track the rebuilding of your house," Ncitha promised.
Residents told the mayor, emergency services personnel, SA Social Security Agency and human settlements department officials that the temporary structures should be placed in C-section where the fire broke out, and not Block Yard.
The mayor refused their request, saying: "We can't keep on going round in circles. You need to get out of here so that we can develop this place properly. These temporary structures must be removed and we can't do that while they are here."
Ncitha said residents would receive food parcels and blankets at the new structures, to be funded by the metro's disaster management relief fund.
Resident Nonzukiso Ndinayo said her family would be happy to move "wherever as long as we have a roof over our heads".
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