Wells Estate shacks bulldozed
Angry residents blockade road after early morning demolition
HUNDREDS of residents who had illegally occupied a piece of land in Wells Estate were left without a place to sleep last night after a bulldozer drove over their shacks early yesterday.
The drama unfolded at about 7am when residents heard a whistle go off signalling that something was wrong – and found themselves dodging a bulldozer which was flattening their shacks.
The municipality gave the instruction after obtaining a court order to have land invaders moved.
The angry residents then blockaded roads leading to Motherwell.
At about 2pm, the protesters dispersed and gathered along Nonjenga Street in Wells Estate where they sang struggle songs.
A group returned to some of the main roads surrounding Motherwell at about 8pm, but members of the Public Order Policing unit stayed on-site through the night to monitor the situation.
Resident Ncamile Nontyi, 42, said he was at a nearby shack when he heard screams that their shacks were being demolished.
“I heard a whistle, which means we should all come out as something had happened, only to find my shack was in pieces,” he said.
“The troubling thing is we were not warned and no alternative accommodation has been given to us.”
No injuries were reported, but residents said a pregnant woman was taken to hospital as she was distressed.
Another resident, who had been squatting in the area since 2008 and did not want to give her name, said the municipality was wasting its time as they would rebuild their shacks.
“We have spent years on the [housing] waiting list and when we try to get some independence, our shacks are demolished while we watch people buy and sell RDP houses,” she said.
“What we do not understand is why our furniture and material was taken away.”
Ward 60 councillor Mvuzo Mbelekane said the residents had illegally occupied the land on January 1.
“I went there to advise them not to continue but they did not listen. Today they had their shacks demolished,” Mbelekane said.
Police spokesman Constable Mncedi Mbombo said the initial protest lasted for about two hours.
“Police had to fire rubber bullets when residents took out their anger by throwing stones at passing motorists.”
During the later protests, an SAB truck was stoned while travelling on the N2 near Motherwell.
The canvas side of the truck was ripped open, but the protesters were unable to take anything.
Human settlements portfolio head Nqaba Bhanga said people who occupied land illegally were undermining the housing list process.
“These are the people who do not want to be on the waiting list,” he said. “There are also criminals involved who are using genuinely innocent people who want houses.
“We have found that there are three municipal officials who have been working with these people and we are going to deal with them.
“We are going to do the same thing in Uitenhage and Khayamnandi where people are illegally occupying land,” Bhanga said.