Residents build shack for homeless after city demolition

RESIDENTS of an informal settlement at Dunoon have erected a large shack for those left homeless after their homes were demolished.

They have vowed they will not leave the private land where they have built their homes, which they have named Zwezwe Informal Settlement.

More than 50 shacks on the land – earmarked for other projects – were razed to the ground by the city’s anti-land invasion unit and other authorities on Tuesday.

Residents, many of whom had been at work during the demolition, are up in arms over the action. Some of those who had been present during the demolition claimed the city’s unit had arrived without an eviction notice.

Resident Ntsiki Dladlo said she had returned from work to an open space where her shack used to be, and her furniture had been ruined.

“We are unhappy and don’t know where we can report this, because our furniture and other things were just lying there in the open, damaged. Our possessions could have been stolen, and there was no notice prior to our homes being destroyed,” said Dladlo.

“We cleaned this site, which was turned into a dumping site, and occupied it because of the expensive rent we cannot afford.”

Another resident, Tinkler Botlani, who witnessed the demolition, said the only eviction notice residents were aware of was one from 2018, and when residents had asked the city’s anti-land invasion unit and the Sheriff of the Court to provide one on Tuesday, they had refused to do so.

“This shows they didn’t have it at all, which is illegal. The landowner was granted a court interdict on the land last year in the Western Cape High Court.

“In our court appearance early this year, the judge ordered that we couldn’t get evicted unless we were provided with a place to stay, so we were very shocked by the city’s move,” said Botlani.

Ward councillor Lubabalo Makeleni said he was not aware that shacks had been demolished in the settlement.

Mayoral committee member for human settlements Malusi Booi said the city was well within its rights to demolish the shacks.

“The Sheriff of the Court carried out the operation in terms of an existing interdict on the privately-owned land in question.

“The owner of the property had obtained an interdict on this privately-owned land and as such, the Sheriff of the Court is entitled to enforce the court order.

“Those illegally erected structures have been removed on numerous occasions. The city will continue to protect land from being invaded.”

This shows they didn’t have an eviction notice, which is illegal

Tinkler Botlani

zwezwe resident