Plea to stop land invasions
CLARE Estate residents have started a petition urging the government to find homes for displaced informal residents who have been invading properties in their area.
Since last week’s flooding, a number of people living near the flood plain in Quarry Road West and the M19 off-ramp to Reservoir Hills were left without shelter.
This resulted in informal residents invading private properties on Spencer Road in Clare Estate.
A petition was started this week on change.org calling on the government to make good on its promises made in 1994.
“Govt needs to get on board urgently to rehouse the Informals as this is putting major strain on the rate paying residents by trying to invade their properties, the electrical grid, water and sewage disposal to name a few. At present we have the Clare Estate CPF, NHW’S and patrol teams, residents and security companies who are involved in the area protecting what’s theirs,” read the petition.
“Please sign our plea to get Govt to do the humane thing and that is to house all those living on that flood plain urgently before further disaster occurs,” it read.
Jay Laljith, a resident of Clare Estate for the past 50 years, said the municipality needed to find housing for those displaced.
“Last week there were attempts to occupy land in the back end of people's homes in Spencer Road. We managed to get the land invasion unit to prevent it from continuing. As a community, we have formed teams to patrol the area to protect the properties.
“It is sad what has happened to the informal residents and they haven’t been housed properly yet. But we cannot allow people to just invade other people's properties. The city needs to find a way forward,” said Laljith.
Navin Dookran, chairperson of the
Clare Estate Ratepayers Association, said Clare Estate had a problem with land invasion in the past.
“It got worse after the Quarry Road floods. They have not been provided proper temporary accommodation, food, etc. It spiralled from there. A few years ago after flooding, the city didn’t have a solution and now still no solution. Do you now send them to invade the privacy of private properties of people paying rates and taxes? That is not on.
“Community members have held meetings and are working with security companies. Residents are now patrolling day and night,” said Dookran.
Mqapheli Bonono, deputy president of Abahlali Basemjondolo, said their concern was that people were desperate and had no one to help them.
“Their homes have been washed away and they have no place to rebuild their homes. We appeal to the public to be patient. We are waiting to see where the government will provide land to rebuild their homes. Government needs to speedily allocate land before any commotion erupts between communities.
“We don’t encourage people to invade land. But we believe both parties need to meet to agree on what land is available. We know there are some people who are worried about the value of their properties, but at the end of the day these are also human beings,” said Bonono.
A resident, Shamila Ramsookbhai, said it was a sad situation.
“I wish somebody would offer a solution. We are literally sitting on a time bomb. This matter needs to be taken to the highest level of government.
“As much as we sympathise with the homeless, as residents in the area we were very patient and put up with informal settlements, but the time has come now to say no more. The infrastructure cannot cope. At the end of the day, everybody wants a roof over their head,” said Ramsookbhai.