The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Public Works conducted an inspection visit to the Endududzeveni Centre for People with Disabilities in Umlazi. It was established that this centre is being considered for sale to Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT).
On Tuesday, the committee visited the centre together with representatives from the eThekwini municipality. The MUT campus currently occupies two adjacent plots along Griffiths Mxenge Road (formerly known as Mangosuthu Road). Committee members reported that the Endududzeveni Centre is facing difficulties and is in the process of being sold to MUT.
Petros Msimango, the committee chairperson, explained that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) took over the centre from the Department of Social Development (DSD). He noted that the centre had been deemed uninhabitable as early as 2016, and vandals stole plumbing pipes, light bulbs, doors, and electrical cables, leading to its deterioration. Despite having existed since the early 1990s, its future looks bleak, and residents are appealing for help.
Following the site inspection, the committee held an official meeting at the DPWI offices in Durban, where it received a detailed report on the centre's history and plans for its sale to MUT. A condition for the sale was also stated: the university must ensure accommodation for the centre's residents. Msimango stated that the committee members, concerned about the residents' condition, decided to hold a joint meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Social Development to discuss the situation and the future of the centre's inhabitants. He added that both departments would soon present their respective reports.
During the tour, the delegation observed collapsed roofs, empty halls and rooms overgrown with grass, and missing windows. Furthermore, the centre experiences intermittent water and electricity supply. People with disabilities showed municipal officials stacks of plastic bottles of water that they have to store to meet basic needs. Residents of the centre and people with disabilities who use it complained about the presence of criminals in the area and attempts to build shacks on the premises.
eThekwini Deputy Mayor Zandile Miyeni stated that they would address the raised issues and the residents' problems. She would also check billing records for unpaid utility charges related to the centre. Miyeni mentioned that the entire southern part of Durban faces water supply interruptions, but reported that the uMkhomazi water scheme is nearing completion, and after the project concludes, the municipality will be able to draw water from the uMkhomazi River to improve supply to the Southern Durban areas.
Since 2001, 30 people with disabilities have resided at the centre, some using wheelchairs and others being blind, although the number of residents has decreased. Residents used to gather to engage in handicrafts, selling items and sharing profits: they knitted jerseys and wool scarves, and also wove plastic mats. However, this activity ceased several years ago.
In February 2017, former Minister of Social Development Vezive Tusi announced the closure of the centre. This sparked a conflict between the centre's residents and government officials. The department claimed the centre was unfit for use and planned to carry out building repairs. Mpumelile Zimela, who has lived at the centre since 2010, recounted that she was promised work at the facility but was asked to leave after completing a six-month vocational training program. She lives in one of the rooms, noting that she chose this location because she had no other option, and watched the place decline while awaiting employment.
Temba Shiba, one of the centre's leaders, handed documentation and historical information about the centre to the officials. Shiba expressed concern for the future of the residents, stating that they deserve better. Msizi Humalo, founder and executive director of the South African Community Development Centre (CCDSA), based in Umlazi, works as a social entrepreneur and facilitator to assist local non-profit groups. He shared that during a campaign to assess school functionality in the Umlazi vicinity, the Endududzeveni residents felt forgotten, prompting them to find the best way to help them.
Humalo reported that all stakeholders, including potential sponsors, met to develop an action plan that includes the reconstruction of the facility to improve its condition. He noted that they encountered many obstacles when working with the municipality, and problems arose over the years that led to the further deterioration of the centre since 2015. Despite sending emails and holding meetings with the municipality, nothing changed, which discouraged potential donors.