Eviction threat for Fynbos residents
DISGRUNTLED Fynbos residents who invaded a housing project have dug their heels in.
After they illegally occupied RDP houses under construction last month, they were served with an eviction letter by the Buffalo City Metro on Monday. They say they will not go. Chaotic scenes played out on the community streets on Thursday when police clashed with the illegal house invaders.
The busy Douglas Smith Highway and Dunoon Road were blocked with burning tyres and rocks, causing a traffic jam. A long line of cars had to wait 30 minutes for a heavy TLB grader to clear the road.
Ward councillor Ayanda Mapisa would only say the illegal invaders were served with the eviction letters on Monday.
Community leader Luke Plaatjies said people from the area were marginalised.
“We have been waiting to see the fruits of democracy in our community but it seems like this is apartheid in reverse. We as the first indigenous people of this country are being denied houses in our own land.”
He said they have been waiting for RDP houses for decades. “The municipality must get its act together. They must come and explain to us why coloured people are still signing up for houses for 30 years, yet we are not part of the beneficiaries when these houses are handed over. It seems our names get removed from these lists.”
Resident Shannon Vaaltyn said she would continue to occupy the RDP house she lives in until she was provided with better accommodation.
“We were given an eviction letter on Monday but we are going nowhere. We will wait for them to come and remove us. If they take us out of the houses then they must give us other accommodation.”
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya told the Dispatch on Monday last week that the municipality had opened a case with the police after the illegal invasion and vandalisation of houses in wards 8 and 10.