Highway Mail: No assistance for Motala Heights fire victims

(Journalist not named – no doubt due to Ricky Govender’s threats against the media)

MOTALA Heights families who lost their homes and all they owned in a fire a fortnight ago have still not had any assistance from the municipality.

And the councillor of Ward 15, Derek Dimba, denied having any knowledge of the fire and showed little concern for the families affected.

The councillor responded by saying, “I do not account to you, (referring to the paper), if you are bored and have nothing to do, don’t call me.”

He continued: “I live in Mpola and it’s far. If they don’t call I cannot throw bones to find out what is happening in the community.”

The families also said that they did not know who their councillor was and there could not contact him. When the councillor was asked how this was possible he replied: “They did not vote and they obviously don’t attend community meetings.”

The office of the speaker in KwaZulu-Natal was asked to comment on Dimba’s response. Mr. Desmond Myeza, the manager, said “Mr. Dimba was wrong to tell you to tell the people to call him first after you had notified him of the incident. We will look into it.”

The families are currently receiving help from people in different communities in the form of blankets, clothing and crockery but they still do not have a roof over their heads.