Homes in a war zone
Durban residents cower as cops ignore their plight
THE smell of burning tyres, continuous gunshots and men armed with machetes and bush knives chanting on the road – that is Bonela throughout the night.
Residents of the area, close to Cato Manor, are taking a stand against a group of alleged land invaders roaming their streets. They say intense levels of threat and intimidation in their formerly peaceful suburb have escalated over the past two weeks.
The Independent on Saturday is withholding the names of those speaking out, to prevent victimisation.
According to residents, fires were set with burning tyres, blocking access in and out of the suburb on Thursday night, with a limited response from police.
“This area is a war zone; there are gunshots day and night. On Thursday night we stayed awake all night. My kids have been so terrified I have sent them to relatives.
“I have just heard they have started burning tyres again at the end of the road. It’s going to be another scary night ahead. We are fighting a losing battle,” said one resident last night.
Another resident, a single mother, said: “On Thursday, at about 8pm, the group started gathering dirt and tyres, as well as breaking bottles. Then they started burning the tyres and they went on until after midnight even though there was heavy rain.
“There was no way out of the area.
“We have close to 300 members in our community group and everyone was contacting the police, but they didn’t want to come.
“I phoned 10111 a number of times, but my call just kept getting cut. I also tried calling the army but they said they can only come to a scene if instructed to do so by the police.
“My daughter even phoned me from America as I was in such a state. We are dreading the weekend,” she said.
Another member of the community said: “We need protection, we are living under siege. On Thursday night I made several calls to 10111, but they told me to ‘sit back and be patient’.
“There was no police response while this was happening and when it was all over a single patrol van drove down the street but never even stopped.
“It was so frightening with all the gunshots, my kids were crying. We have never been so fearful for our lives,” she said.
The Independent on Saturday visited the area yesterday morning after calls from desperate residents.
The group of alleged land invaders was on the street carrying hammers, spades, sticks and pangas.
They have been accused of destroying water meters, blockading roads and setting fire to logs, as well as threatening to petrol-bomb houses this weekend.
Many residents could not go to work or school yesterday as this activity happened at intervals.
“When the metro police are here, they go underground,” said a woman in Buckingham Avenue where smoke came from smouldering logs and fountains of water spewed from damaged meters.
“When the police go, they come out again,” said another resident, while another described it as a “cat-and-mouse game”.
A man said when he arrived at his home after working night shift, he was accosted by “more than 50” men flashing pangas and sticks and throwing rocks.
“They smashed my car and then they went away,” he said, having shut his family in the house yesterday.
Furious that he no longer had water because of the attacks on the meters, another resident said: “They are making politics out of this.”
Another suggested that a certain politician was fanning “this inhuman act”.
The violence has its roots in an arrangement, endorsed by a court order, allowing people to re-erect shacks that were taken down by the municipality.
According to some owners, the shack builders plan to build in a different location to that allowed by the court.
Alleged land invaders said some home-owners had shot at them at night.
Last night eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa said that, in view of the interdict, it would not offer anything other than general comments because the matter was currently being argued in court.
Asked to elaborate on what security the terrified residents could expect – and whether metro police would be there for them – the city’s communications office said it could not comment further.