Emergency housing for KZN flood survivors still in use three years after disaster struck
Reports have revealed that three years after the KZN floods, many families are still waiting for permanent homes while living in temporary accommodation and holding onto hope for stability.
Three years after catastrophic flooding swept through KwaZulu-Natal, many families who lost their homes remain in temporary accommodation, despite expectations that the arrangement would last only a few months
When severe storms displaced communities across the province in April 2022, emergency housing was arranged through apartments rented by the eThekwini municipality. The programme has cost about R120-million since it began, providing short-term relief to people whose homes were destroyed.
According to Ground Up, hundreds of families are still living in these emergency units more than three years later, with permanent housing yet to materialise.
What was the plan for temporary housing?
Residents were initially told the arrangement would be brief, with most expecting to stay for about six months before being relocated to permanent homes supplied by the provincial department of human settlements. Instead, many families remain in the same apartments today, uncertain about when they will move.
The exact number of people still living in temporary accommodation remains unclear. However, multiple sites across eThekwini continue to house families displaced during the floods, reflecting the scale of the challenge in delivering permanent solutions.
Why has permanent housing been delayed?
The provincial government has been constructing 1,200 homes for flood victims in Cornubia as part of a multi-billion-rand development launched in 2014. Despite earlier commitments that more than 300 families would receive houses by December 2025, no units appear to have been completed so far.
The development includes brick-and-mortar homes and temporary housing structures adapted from shipping containers. When the site was visited last week, a contractor confirmed that none of the housing units had been finalised. Workers have also threatened to halt construction because of a wage dispute, further complicating progress.
The provincial human settlements department has not provided direct comment. Attempts to reach MEC Siboniso Duma through spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya were unsuccessful despite repeated calls and messages.
What explanation has the municipality provided?
eThekwini municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the Cornubia project has faced funding and technical setbacks, contributing to delays. She indicated that the homes are now expected to be completed by June, while the wage dispute affecting construction is being addressed.
These delays have left many families uncertain about their future, particularly those who believed relocation was imminent.
Where are families currently living?
Ground Up spoke to residents across four temporary accommodation sites in eThekwini, all occupied by people displaced during the April 2022 floods.
In KwaDimba near Thornwood, nearly 40 people share an apartment building after losing their homes in Shalcross. Families live in single rooms, often with limited privacy. Lungi Mohloakoana, who lives there with her children, said the arrangement has become increasingly difficult as her children grow older and require more space. She now rents an additional room closer to her workplace, while her children remain at the apartment.
Residents also describe frequent tensions among occupants, a consequence of overcrowding and the pressures of shared living.
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How are conditions affecting daily life?
At the Astra Building in Durban’s city centre, about 285 families share rooms, often with people they did not know before the floods. Nthuthuko Yalo said this has contributed to the conflict
There are regular disagreements, sometimes fuelled by alcohol use and disruptive behaviour. Yalo expressed hope that families would not have to spend another festive season in temporary accommodation, adding that many would accept relocation immediately if permanent homes were available. He also noted that no officials from the Department of Human Settlements had visited this year to explain the status of the housing project.
What challenges exist at other accommodation sites?
At Crystal Valley, just outside Durban, about 300 families occupy three apartment blocks within one complex. The buildings have no security, and cleaning services take place only once or twice a week.
Residents say communication from authorities has been minimal. Sicelo Mzimela reported that no one from the human settlements department had spoken to them since they moved in during December 2022. In response to safety concerns, residents formed a neighbourhood watch to address crime.
Education has also become more expensive for many families. Learners were initially provided with free transport following the floods, but the support ended after about a year. Parents now have to cover these costs themselves, often while sending children to schools that are more expensive than those in their original communities.
What impact has the loss of support had on families?
Just over 100 families living in a building on Point Road in Durban face similar challenges, particularly the cost of transporting children to school. Residents say they learned through news reports that houses would be allocated, but the lack of direct communication has left them discouraged.
Nomvula Mnguni said many people eventually stopped trying to seek updates after receiving no clear information about when permanent homes would be ready.
Municipality spokesperson Sisilana explained that the transport subsidy was introduced as an emergency relief measure after the floods and was later phased out.
What lies ahead for displaced residents?
As the province works to house families affected by more recent storms, those displaced in 2022 continue to wait for permanent accommodation. For many, the prolonged stay in emergency housing has reshaped daily life, from schooling and employment to safety and privacy.
The Cornubia housing development remains central to the long-term solution, but construction delays, disputes and funding challenges have slowed progress. While officials say the project is moving forward, residents continue to navigate uncertainty about when they will finally leave temporary housing behind.
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