EFF ploy for poor to occupy land – ANC

THE ANC in Gauteng has claimed that the EFF ordered residents of Nellmapius, east of Pretoria, to occupy vacant land, because Julius Malema had bought it for them.

ANC MPL Refilwe Mogale divulged this yesterday in the Gauteng legislature.

The MPL was responding to EFF Gauteng leader Mgcini Tshwaku’s claims that the ANC and media “were criminalising the homelessness” of Nellmapius residents.

Tshwaku had said the increasing number of people who occupied land in that area was due to the inability of the ANC to provide them with houses.

“The EFF understands the material conditions of homelessness in Gauteng brought to you by the ANC government. That is why we support (the) community struggle of ward 86 in Tshwane, Nellmapius, for land occupation.

“This is based on the EFF’s founding manifesto that the EFF will be involved in mass movements and protests that seek the betterment of people’s lives.

The EFF will also associate itself with movements that demand land through land occupation,” he told the legislature.

He said the affected residents had been on the government waiting list for houses “for ages and were told that the land will be given to them, but till today – nothing”.

Tshwaku flayed the government and the police for their handling of the violent situation.

“ANC government police started shooting at people as they did in Marikana,” he said.

But Mogale, chairwoman of the Gauteng petitions portfolio committee, said residents were misled. “Residents told the committee the EFF instructed them to occupy that land.”

Tshwane metro police fired rubber bullets to disperse residents who threw stones at them after their shacks were demolished.