Steenvilla residents start hunger strike
THEY defied the chilly weather sleeping on the concrete floor on the steps of the legislature, refusing to move until they get answers.
The residents of Steenvilla in Retreat are involved in a battle with the DA government over their eviction. According to residents, they were given until Thursday to pack up and leave their homes but they have nowhere to go.
“I am fighting for my house and I am here because I want answers,” said resident Colleen Fisher.
On numerous occasions the so-called Red Ants evicted these residents using violence, she said.
Said another resident, Tina Schoor: “If you want to know how someone feels about being thrown out like an animal on the streets, it feels like we are not human beings. Basically it’s how we felt last night (Monday). We are determined, we are starving ourselves for this.”
Schoor admitted some residents were in arrears with their rent, but said it was mainly because they could no longer afford to pay.
“Our rentals are too high. Who is throwing us out of our homes? The DA-led government. We are fed up. We refuse to move from this area,” she said.
A number of residents sleeping on the steps of the legislature have now begun a hunger strike.
Steenvilla is the largest social housing complex in Cape Town. It’s gated with 24-hour security. Last year violence broke out in the complex when enraged residents barricaded a section of Military Road with burning tyres, dirt bins and rubbish after an eviction order was issued against them.
At the crux of the violence is 30 households currently in rent arrears. The complex is managed by Sohco, a private non-profit company which manages lowcost rental housing. The project is owned by the provincial government.
Rent ranges from R1 500 to R4 000. Residents who live in the complex are pensioners, people with disabilities, single parents and the unemployed. The residents said that MEC for Housing Bonginkosi Madikizela had promised them houses.
“I have been in consultation with those residents,” said Madikizela.
“Unfortunately I cannot intervene because I will be in contempt of court because the court has intervened in this matter. And there are a number of untruths regarding the rent,” he said.
BEING THROWN OUT LIKE AN ANIMAL ON THE STREETS, IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS