Delft is poised on a knife edge as Sunday's deadline approaches for families occupying unfinished houses to vacate them, and state housing agency Thubelisha Homes has rejected their demand that its representatives and building contractors leave the area immediately.
Yesterday about 200 people, led by DA ward councillor Frank Martin, marched through central Cape Town to deliver their "eviction notice" to Thubelisha and its building contractors.
But the company's director, Xhanti Sigcawu, refused to sign the memorandum and said they had no right to instruct his company.
"There are other routes they can follow. They should approach the court and it's up to the court to give an order that we should move out. Their instruction is totally uncalled for and one wonders what game they are playing," Sigcawu said.
He said the sheriff was expected to execute a court order for the residents to leave and that contractors would move in immediately after people vacated the houses.
Earlier, under the watchful eyes of police, a rowdy crowd, including mothers with babies, sang and danced outside Thubelisha's Bree Street offices.
"You are the people of Delft and the government of Delft. You, the people will decide what to do. We are here to tell Thubelisha that they are no longer required in the whole of Delft and they must instruct their contractors to leave immediately," Martin told the crowd.
Asked what would happen on Sunday if the court ruling was enforced, Martin said: "What happens on the 17th will be decided by the people. On Sunday the people shall govern."
He said the residents' lawyers had been instructed to appeal against the Cape High Court's ruling and that an application was to be served yesterday.
Meanwhile, residents spoke of their anxiety. They said they would resist moves to evict them because they had nowhere else to live.
"There are many difficulties people face and it's clear we are dealing with an explosive situation. But we'll keep resistance as peaceful as we possibly can."
In December about 1 600 people occupied unfinished houses built as part of the N2 Gateway housing project. About R20 million in damage was caused during the invasion, according to Sigcawu. - Cape Times
Yesterday about 200 people, led by DA ward councillor Frank Martin, marched through central Cape Town to deliver their "eviction notice" to Thubelisha and its building contractors.
But the company's director, Xhanti Sigcawu, refused to sign the memorandum and said they had no right to instruct his company.
"There are other routes they can follow. They should approach the court and it's up to the court to give an order that we should move out. Their instruction is totally uncalled for and one wonders what game they are playing," Sigcawu said.
| 'They should approach the court' |
Earlier, under the watchful eyes of police, a rowdy crowd, including mothers with babies, sang and danced outside Thubelisha's Bree Street offices.
"You are the people of Delft and the government of Delft. You, the people will decide what to do. We are here to tell Thubelisha that they are no longer required in the whole of Delft and they must instruct their contractors to leave immediately," Martin told the crowd.
Asked what would happen on Sunday if the court ruling was enforced, Martin said: "What happens on the 17th will be decided by the people. On Sunday the people shall govern."
He said the residents' lawyers had been instructed to appeal against the Cape High Court's ruling and that an application was to be served yesterday.
| 'You are the people of Delft and the government of Delft' |
"What is happening in Delft is the clearest proof yet that poor people have been deserted by the government of this country. We won't be moving anywhere. The tension is building up," march leader Dawn Booysen said.
"There are many difficulties people face and it's clear we are dealing with an explosive situation. But we'll keep resistance as peaceful as we possibly can."
In December about 1 600 people occupied unfinished houses built as part of the N2 Gateway housing project. About R20 million in damage was caused during the invasion, according to Sigcawu. - Cape Times
No comments:
Post a Comment