Durban –The DA in KwaZulu-Natal says displaced flood victim who were moved out of the Truro Hall in Westville on the weekend were being accommodated at the Royal Hotel in Durban.
The provincial government held a media briefing on Sunday to announce the relocation of the flood victims to a building in Reservoir Hills that was previously a student residence.
However, the office of the premier on Tuesday released a statement stating that due to a dispute with the landlord of the building, the families had to be moved to a “reasonable” hotel.
The DA said it was surprised by the government moving the flood victims to the hotel, saying it was nothing more than “an elaborate PR stunt by the ANC-run provincial government in an attempt to show that it cares in the lead up to the 2024 elections”.
The party said the human settlements department had dragged its feet with finding suitable accommodation for displaced flood victims and when they did act it was done “as a desperate attempt to look good”.
“This latest move by the department will backfire. Not only is it unrealistic and unfair, it has created a further issue with other now disgruntled flood victims wanting similar ‘royal treatment’,” said the DA’s KZN spokesperson on Human Settlements, Marlaine Nair.