Protesters demand release of land-grab accused

PROTESTERS marched to the Hermanus Magistrate’s Court yesterday, calling for the release of people arrested during a thwarted land grab in the coastal town.

Vehicles‚ a satellite police station and part of a library were torched when protesters clashed with police and a security company after plots of land were marked out last month. Scores of people were arrested.

Looters stole stock from foreign-owned shops and foreign families were forced to flee for their lives.

Gcobani Ndzongana‚ an activist and administrator of the Facebook page Zwelihle Renewal‚ said in a post on Monday evening that residents of the township would march to the court to demand the release of those who were arrested.

He said: “It’s all shut down, no work for your safety.”

Some of the arrested residents appeared in court yesterday.

A resident, named only as Ockie, tweeted a picture of the marchers‚ escorted by police‚ early yesterday.

Residents of Zwelihle said they were fed up with living in backyards and complained of being forced to wait years in the hope of one day getting a home of their own.

Nomaza Nomandela‚ 52‚ one of the backyard dwellers involved in the attempted land grab‚ said she had been on a housing list for 12 years.

“I received a letter that indicated that my house was ready in May 2016‚” she said.

“I took all the necessary documents to the municipal office‚ but when I got there officials told me that I do not qualify for a house because I earned more than R3 500.”

Nomandela‚ who works as a cleaner‚ shares the backyard‚ which has one toilet‚ with four other families.

Her rent was recently hiked from R200 to R600 because she has a big family.

The protests also saw foreign-owned businesses being looted, forcing many people to flee from Zwelihle.

Somali shopkeeper Abdala Gedi‚ 20‚ was forced to abandon his shop during the chaos last month.

Western Cape Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela told residents last month that their pleas had been heard.

“We as government made the mistake that people living in the informal settlements are the only ones that need our help,” he said.

“The backyarders also need our help. We need to get the money from national government to make sure this process runs as speedily as possible.”