‘SHACK-MAN’
Housing protest
TRAFFIC was interrupted in Mthatha this weekend as a sole “protester” set up a makeshift house in the middle of a busy road.
It took government officials more than an hour on Saturday to persuade the man to dismantle a wooden structure he had erected on the busy Tutor Ndamase Road near B T Ngebs City Mall.
Because of the risk he had posed to himself, motorists and others, the man was taken to hospital by police and health officials, where he will undergo psychiatric observation.
Among his grievances were that the provincial human settlements department had not honoured a promise to build him an RDP house.
“They said some years ago that they will build me a home.
“But I can see that other people who applied later than me are getting houses before me,” said the man, who would not give his name.
He said he’d had little luck persuading the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality to allow him to mentor homeless children roaming the streets and train them in woodworking projects.
“These boys are just smoking glue and developing psychiatric problems.
“I have many times asked the municipality to collect these children and employ me as their mentor to train them on woodworking and getting them to build dog kennels so that they have something to do other than roam the streets,” said the man.
Before Tutor Ndamase Road, he had set up his home on the island in Sutherland Road in the CBD, where he built wooden kennels.
He was removed by municipal law enforcement officers on Thursday.
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo was one of the first motorists to come across the home in the middle of the road.
“I tried for almost an hour to reason with the man, but had no success.
“Not only had he set up a home, but he had made a fire and was doing daily chores, including cooking some food.
“He was sitting on a camp chair and at times would sleep in the middle of the road, demanding that no one cross his yard,” he said.
“He has been taken to the Mthatha Regional Hospital for 72 hours psychiatric observation,” added Kupelo.