Cops fire at land invaders as people begin erecting shacks
Man’s hope for his own house tumble down
A Soweto resident’s excitement over his new shack was short-lived as police used rubber bullets to disperse land invaders in Soweto just moments after he started building the structure.
Yesterday, Tshepo Manyelo, 37, was the first person to start erecting a shack on a vacant piece of land in Protea Glen, Soweto.
This follows days of chaos after a group of people started demanding to occupy the land last week because they do not have accommodation.
Authorities and residents who live in bond houses situated close to the land were fiercely opposed to the occupation, saying that it would devalue their properties.
Yesterday, Manyelo along with other people, arrived in the area with tools and corrugated iron panels to start building shacks.
“I’m building this place for my children so that they can have a place to call home,” Manyelo said. He said he was tired of living in a four-roomed house with nine other relatives.
“It’s difficult because I have to sleep in the lounge and there is no privacy. But tonight I’m sleeping here,” Manyelo said.
When approached by Sowetan yesterday, an official of the City of Johannesburg would not comment.
The situation took a sour turn when armed police officers arrived with Nyalas and fired rubber bullets at the group of people.
Community leader Kenneth Siphamandla said they had decided to erect the first 10 structures to show the stands belong to the community.
“We will make sure that people sleep here tonight to show that this is now a settlement,” Siphamandla said.
He said people who own some portions of the property had also met with them and given permission for them to occupy the land.
“The owners of this land gave us the go ahead but the police don’t want to listen to us,” he said.
Pono Tshabalala who claimed to own a plot on the site, said he was in support of the community.
“This is my father’s land. I lived here until the municipality removed us in 2016. They promised us compensation,” Tshabalala said.
He said they had decided to allow people to erect shacks there because the municipality failed to compensate them as agreed.
“I can see that they are not taking us seriously.”
Bongani Tsime, who said his family owns 10 hectares, wants people to stay there.
“I’m inviting people to come and erect shacks on my plot,” Tsime said.
He said he inherited the property from his deceased parents.
Ward counsellor Elliot Sithole said he previously met with the group and they agreed to stop the illegal activities.
“Unfortunately, they came back again. I will have to escalate this to the relevant office on Monday [today],” Sithole said.
Provincial police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the situation was calm.
He said the police would not guard against further invasion attempts but would respond if the group returns.
“If we get a complaint that people are invading the land we will go to the area,” he said.
‘‘ I am inviting people to come and erect shacks