Update
Phoenix Durban
DLC leader, Patrick Pillay, and activist, Zain Nabi, are seen consoling 76-year-old pensioner, Jackson Pillay and his family.
Seventy-six-year-old pensioner, Jackson Pillay and his wife were left without a roof over their head after their house was ravaged by a fire that completely destroyed all the furniture, fittings and clothing in July this year.
According to their daughter, Iris Primmer, no one has come to their rescue since July 2018 after many politicians had made promises.
She decided to take this matter up with the leader of the Democratic Liberal Congress (DLC), Cllr Patrick Pillay, who offered to assist them to pursue the department to rehabilitate the house.
Cllr Pillay said, “It’s shocking that people who made promises to these vulnerable pensioners never honoured their word. I am equally upset that the municipality did not start any rehabilitation work on this property that was destroyed. Heads must roll and the DLC will be calling upon the city manager to intervene and investigate the delay and inefficiencies of the responsible officials. The pensioner and his family are literally split and scattered. The house they have built up and nurtured for the past many years was totally destroyed and no one cared to assist them and restore their dignity.”
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Neighbour, Meera Ramnaras, said that it is really sad to see the family scattered. They were once a very happy and united family until after the fire destroyed their home.
Cllr Pillay has restored their hope for a better and brighter future.
He said that the DLC is making strong representations to the city to undertake the rehabilitation of the property.
“The internal ‘politics’ of officials and should not undermine and delay progress of the pensioners house. Also, politicians and certain people must stop making false promises and grandstanding on issues when they do nothing to improve the lives of our community,” he said.
Any person wishing to assist the family with temporary accommodation, social relief and any other contributions, may contact Iris Primmer on 061-430-6416.