Marshalltown fire survivors living in inhumane conditions. Photo: DA Gauteng
Bez valley recreational centre turns into dump for 156 Marshalltown fire survivors
Several complaints from the community have surfaced about the alleged selling of drugs after the arrival of Marshalltown fire survivors.
Marshalltown fire survivors living in inhumane conditions. Photo: DA Gauteng
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says the Department of Social Development (DSD) has failed to produce adequate shelter for 156 Marshalltown fire survivors living at the Recreational Centre in Bezuidenhout Valley (Bez Valley).
HOW THE DA FEELS ABOUT THE MARSHALLTOWN ACCOMODATION SAGA
The Centre was misled to accommodate the survivors for 72 hours as per the Disaster Management Act, according to Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development.
“To date nothing has happened. Instead, the recreational centre has been forced to be a shelter with no proper support from the relevant departments,” she said.
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Nt’sekhe
“The staff of the recreational centre were not trained for the social challenges that come with the survivors.”
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WHAT THE FIRE SURVIVORS HAVE BEEN UP TO
It’s been reported that several complaints from the community have surfaced about the alleged selling of drugs.
“On Friday the DA conducted an oversight inspection where we bore witness to the terrible state of the centre and smell of cannabis in a sleeping hall where children were playing.
“Not only have the survivors began to vandalise the property, but some have also begun to use the store room for sex work,” Nt’sekhe highlighted.
“It is over 40 days since the DSD placed these survivors at the centre. In the meantime, the centre has had to cancel revenue generating activities such as wedding receptions and sports activities,” she further highlighted.
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DA DEMANDS PROPER SHELTER FOR THE VICTIMS
The DA demands that MEC Mbali Hlophe urgently migrate these individuals to a proper shelter.
“The DA will not watch such a beautiful facility decay due to the incompetence of the current government.
In addition, the DA will be writing questions to ascertain if DSD has written to the relevant embassies requesting them to assist with their citizens especially those who are undocumented.
“Many South African survivors stated that the National Minister of Social Development promised relief funds, however, this has not happened.
The DA will not allow these survivors to go through secondary trauma in a makeshift shelter,” she concluded.
