Cape Town - A mob of angry Joe Slovo residents have set fire to several containers, mostly owned by foreigners, accusing them of using their businesses as a front to sell drugs.
Residents said their actions on Sunday were not a xenophobic attack, but an attempt to rid the community of drugs and to claim back land.
Joe Slovo Park, off Koeberg Road in Milnerton, is a small township made up of brick houses and shacks.
Residents blocked roads leading into the area with burning tyres and placed about 10 shipping containers in the area’s main road, then set fire to them.
SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) chairperson, Mncedisi Jibe, said residents did not understand why houses could not be built on land occupied by the foreign-owned shops.
Jibe claimed residents had proof that people operating their businesses from containers had been dealing in drugs and that this was the reason why they wanted them out.
“We are burning any containers in sight because they are on our land,” Jibe said.
He said the land on which those businesses operated belonged to the people of Joe Slovo and that they wanted it back. “We are burning them because when we put our shacks on here, law enforcement removes them,” he said.
Hairdressers, barbers and mechanics operating from the area were angered by Sunday’s attack.
Dolanti Kamana said that he had returned from church to find that his mother’s salon was among the containers which had been destroyed.
“The police were there but they didn’t do anything. They just watched. I couldn’t believe what was happening,” Kamana said.
“My mom is very upset and angry, but she is trying not to show it,” he added.
Kamana said he was preparing for an engineering exam and was not able to concentrate after his mother’s business container was torched.
“We weren’t there when it happened, but we think they threw something in the window and burnt the container like that. We didn’t have time to get some of the stuff like TVs and hairdryers out,” he said.
Joy McCarthy, a Joe Slovo councillor, said the community had not been protesting over a lack of services.
“This is not a service delivery protest, as we are trying very hard to deliver services and housing to the informal settlements,” McCarthy said.
“However, such unlawful behaviour and damaging of the existing infrastructure by certain individuals within the community is hampering service delivery.”
Late on Sunday, police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut said streets in the area had not been re-opened because some containers were still in the road.
“We will monitor and patrol the area to maintain calm and order and we will reopen the roads once we are sure that motorists wont be in any danger,” Traut said.
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