Violence, despair as illegal shacks demolished
FOURTEEN people were arrested for public violence and six petrol bombs were confiscated when the City’s antiland invasion unit demolished shacks in Mfuleni yesterday.
Extension 4 backyarders claim to be the rightful beneficiaries of a piece of land the City is preparing for an informal settlement.
At the weekend, a number of people illegally moved onto the land and erected shacks.
Yesterday morning the antiland invasion unit, supported by the South African Police Service and the Metro police, moved in to destroy the shacks.
As their shacks were being demolished, so people started protesting and resisting the move.
The police arrested 14 people and confiscated six petrol bombs.
Lindelwa Similo, a traditional healer, said she was greeted by scattered material when she arrived home from working the night shift. She said she was worried about her three children who were at school. “I don’t have anywhere to go now. I am worried about my children who will come from school to find their home destroyed. I cannot afford any rent. I have been renting since 2011,” she said. Until the weekend Similo had been renting a shack in a nearby area.
Asanda Mfula, 22, who lives with her two children and is seven months pregnant said: “I came here to build my shack because I cannot afford to rent. I was escaping R500 monthly rent. I do not work and my cousin is supporting me. Even this material which is destroyed I got from neighbours. I am really feeling hopeless now,” she said.
The mayoral committee member for human settlements, Benedicta van Minnen confirmed that 45 illegally erected structures, which they said were unoccupied, had been destroyed.
“Most of the material has been removed to discourage further land invasion attempts and the area continues to be monitored,” she said.
Van Minnen said the City had thwarted constant attempts to invade serviced plots in the area which have been earmarked for occupation by those legitimately identified beneficiaries of the Bardale human settlements development.
She said Cape Town has the highest urbanisation rate in the country.
“It is imperative that we uphold a fair and equitable system of delivering and accelerating provision of housing opportunities and services to those in need and to our most vulnerable residents.”
She said 80 percent of the Bardale development was already legally occupied – and the last 530 sites would be allocated shortly and handovers would take place toward the end of the year.
Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said: “This office can confirm that 14 people have been arrested for public violence and six petrol bombs have been confiscated.” michael.nkalane@inl.co.za
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