AN INFESTATION of rats and cockroaches, illegal dumping, crime and pollution have been blamed for the rapid decay of Isipingo.
The Isipingo Ratepayers Residents Association’s (IRRA) spokesperson, Sunil Ramadhar, said residents and the eThekwini Municipality needed to be held to account.
He said the Central Business District had potholes, non-functional street lights and was over-run by taxis.
On a recent walk-about with Ramadhar and another IRRA member, Kenneth Dlamini, of Ward 90, which includes Isipingo Hills, Isipingo Rail, Lotus Park, Orient Hills, Malaba Hills, Dakota beach, Pilgrim informal settlement and Lotus Settlement, several illegal scrapyards were spotted.
“The zoning of land in Isipingo has resulted in the collapse of this town. Large scale industrial businesses operate next to our homes. The police and municipality do nothing about the illegal scrap yards that are buying stolen copper. Some of these businesses operate out of residential areas. How is this allowed? There is also constant noise, dust and air pollution the area.
“Trucks and taxis are parked all over the area. There is no longer a rule of law for taxis here. They park outside schools and religious institutions and do whatever they want,” said Ramadhar.
Dlamini said he felt disheartened driving throughout Isipingo because it looked nothing like the “lush” town he grew up in.
He said taking family to Dakota Beach used to be a joyous occasion but now they stayed away because of the lack of upkeep.
“I have so much history in this town. I will talk about the most simple attraction, which is Isipingo Beach. From the mouth to Dakota Beach, it is in complete ruin. There is no evidence that the municipality maintains our beaches. It is run down and the toilets don’t work. The front gate to the entrance is broken. The pool is disgusting. Yet, if you go about 10 minutes south to Amanzimtoti Beach or Winkelspruit, you will find functional amenities. Why does the municipality neglect us?” asked Dlamini.
“But then there are also residents who dump their garbage anywhere and everywhere. They have no respect for their own area. The community of Isipingo must take equal blame for the downfall of this town,” Dlamini added.
While driving on Gokul Road a resident was seen dumping a black plastic bag filled with dirt.
When confronted, the man, a resident on the same road, told Ramadhar to mind his own business.
At the corner of Gokul and Persad roads is the Pilgrim informal settlement.
Keolin Maytham, who lives close by, said his family had to endure the constant illegal dumping at the intersection and prostitution.
“There are workers living in the bushes, conducting business metres away from our backdoor,” said Maytham.
He said in addition there was an infestation of rats and cockroaches and crime.
“We have been living here since 2014. And in recent years the area has fallen into a state of decay. No-one cares about us.”
For residents in the Pilgrim informal settlement, a lack of clean running water remains an ongoing problem.
They are also faced with open sewerage pits.
Ntokozo Nzama said they had been left to live “worse than animals”.
Nzama pointed out an overflowing sewage line.
From the top of the settlement, raw sewage flows into houses. This is exacerbated when it rains.
“Look around us, there is sewage everywhere. The toilets on the top do not work anymore because the drains are. All of the drains running through Pilgrim do not work. All of the dirt from the top of Isipingo flows down and gets stuck here by us. Look at that pile of dirt. It's not ours, these men have been fishing it out of the drain,” Nzama said, pointing to a massive pile of rubbish outside a home.
In Lotus Park, 80-year-old JD Rampathi said the constant water outages made life painful at her age. The constant filling of water and carrying of buckets is frustrating given the fact that more than 50% of her state pension goes towards her water account, she said.
“There is always a problem with the water in Lotus Park. Every week without fail we get some excuse about a stolen valve, a stolen pump or something. I can’t manage with the buckets to go up and down the stairs with my knees. It is hard to live like this.
“But this is an ongoing problem that we have been forced to just accept yet we are still paying our bills on time. I don’t even get my bill in the post box anymore because the Post Office is closed. My son has to tell me how much to pay every month. And honestly, it's most of my pension. I don’t want to be behind on my bills and if I get into arrears it will be worse,” Rampathi said.
Her neighbour Romila Sivsaran said: “It would be wrong to say only we in Isipingo are having these problems. Sadly, between our councillor and municipality, we know we only have ourselves to rely on. We have to fill up our buckets because we never know when the supply will stop. The city sends the water trucks at 10pm. Who is going to fill the water at that time? But if you miss one bill, they will be at your door that same week to cut your lights. This is a cruel government.”