MyCiti bus torched
MYCITI bus commuters fled for their lives when the bus they were travelling in was set alight by a group of protesting Joe Slovo residents near Milnerton yesterday.
The violence broke out after the City’s anti-land invasion unit demolished about 20 structures the residents erected on a piece of land.
Commuters in the bus had to jump out, but no injuries were reported. The protest led to the closure of parts of Freedom Way in Joe Slovo.
Yesterday was the fourth time their shacks have been dismantled, a resident said.
Another resident, whose shack was destroyed, said the land they had occupied has been vacant for three weeks after mobile classrooms of a school were taken away by the education department.
“This is the only open space we could erect our shacks because where we currently stay we pay huge amounts of rent,” she said.
She said the City’s unit did not provide them with a court order, so that they could oppose it. “They come and destroy houses without even showing us any paperwork. We have been told a clinic would be built on the land in question, but how come we don’t know about the plans to build a clinic?”
Mayco member for Transport and Urban Development Brett Herron said the attack on a public transport vehicle was shocking and sickening.
“We need all of society to join us in condemning acts of violence that undermine and reverse progress we are making towards a more inclusive and accessible city.
“Financial resources are limited and destroying what has already been achieved deprives all of us of a better access and mobility, but it particularly hurts communities who are dependent on public transport for mobility and access. Those who randomly destroy the progress we have made are disgusting. We have had way too much destruction of public transport vehicles.
“Our rail system is crippled by ongoing sabotage. It is high time our police and justice system did their jobs by finding the culprits, prosecuting and convicting them. We need to put an end to this soon.”