Tshwane blames MEC for violence

The Tshwane metro has blamed Gauteng human settlements MEC Uhuru Moila for the violent protest in Olievenhoutbosch yesterday, Centurion Rekord reports.

Residents took to the streets to protest an eviction notice, barricading roads, burning tyres and damaging vehicles.

Tshwane member of the mayoral committee for human settlements Mandla Nkomo said Moila must shoulder the responsibility.

“The cause of the protests is an eviction order granted to the Gauteng human settlements department to remove illegal occupiers of RDP housing units in Olievenhoutbosch extension 27. The order was granted after more than 800 incomplete units were unlawfully invaded last year,” Nkomo said.

The metro said the High Court in Pretoria had given the provincial department an interim eviction order in May. The community’s bid to suspend the order was rejected in court on Monday, allowing the provincial department to proceed with the evictions.

“The units, once complete, were set to be allocated to already approved families living in Olievenhoutbosch, Choba and Mooiplaats informal settlements,” Nkomo said.

He said the Tshwane metro tried to intervene and find a solution to satisfy all the aggrieved parties. “The province’s poor management of this debacle has left hundreds of families without shelter, and the ensuing violence and lawlessness has caused major damage to critical infrastructure.”