Phoenix families accuse guards of locking them out

PHOENIX residents have accused a local security company of breaching a court order after five families were locked out of their homes this week.

The families, all residents of the Woodglaze housing development, were allegedly locked out without their possessions on Friday in a dispute over outstanding rent payments.

The security company, Bambelela Surveillance and Protection Services, is employed by the development owner, Woodglaze Trading, owned by businessman Jay Singh.

But an order issued last month by the High Court in Durban prevents any evictions until an amicable solution to the dispute can be reached between all parties.

There is ongoing legal action between the developers and residents with regard to ownership and complaints over structural defects.

In addition to the lockouts, said Mervin Govender, spokesman of the Phoenix Residents’ Association, he had been assaulted by security guards.

In an e-mail complaint to the office of the MEC of human settlements and public works, Ravi Pillay, Govender said: “I received a call from residents of the Shastri Park complex and they [said] a group of men in a silver double-cab bakkie were locking people out of their flats.

“When I arrived, we were ambushed by charlatans of the security industry . . . There was total disregard for a high court interdict that stops or prevents them from assaulting, intimidating and calling into the homes for rental collection.”

Kiru Naidoo, spokesman for the MEC, told Sunday Times Extra that the department was aware of the complaint and would be “making further inquiries”.

“We are concerned about matters. The MEC’s position is that we must do everything in our power to resolve this issue,” said Naidoo.

Linga Pillay, owner of Bambelela Surveillance and Protection Services, said he was unaware of the incident.

“I don’t know anything about it and I don’t have any comment about it.”