Police have seized six petrol bombs during violent confrontations with backyarders facing eviction in Delft, arrested three people, and injured seven, including a schoolboy.
They were bracing for a second night of resistance.
Women young and old wept and men hurled abuse at security guards and police as possessions were removed from the N2 Gateway houses in Delft that had been illegally occupied since December.
As tension mounted throughout the day, there were fears that there might be more trouble.
After dark, hundreds of evictees were milling around on the streets, some in groups, and eyeing the police, security guards and removal workers.
All the while, the police kept up patrols.
A group of clergymen arrived to offer pastoral support and to cool tempers.
"The situation is volatile and explosive," said Wilfred Meyer, Anglican archdeacon for Blue Downs.
"We don't want to say who is right and who is wrong, but we are here to connect with people and to try to play a mediating role between them and police. This is an awkward situation."
On Tuesday night Anti Eviction Campaign leaders met about 400 evictees in a field to discuss plans for the night.
Campaign member Ashraf Cassiem said it seemed people would have to sleep in the open and a number of non-government organisations undertook to provide tents and food on Wednesday morning. People were asked to record the number of children, women, elderly and the disabled who would be spending the night out in the open.
Cassiem said the Anti Eviction Campaign had decided against returning to court to seek leave to appeal to stop the eviction as there was not enough money for costs.
"We expected (the eviction) when we moved here," he said.
"The people who evicted us are the ones who have the money and the ones who have the final say that's even in the court of law."
"I apologise on behalf of the Anti Eviction Campaign for not being able to stop this eviction legally, but remember, while we are poor we are not stupid, while we are poor we can still think.
"These houses were built for us, for our elderly who waited 23 years for a house but now have to sit on the side of the road. These houses have not been built for other people and whoever comes to live in these houses will have nightmares."
Throughout the day there were tense and sporadic stand-offs between police and occupiers of the homes as teams working for a private company cleared houses and loaded household items onto trucks.
Incensed people complained about losing their possessions, later taken to a storage facility in Blackheath. Children looked lost and confused and pets were abandoned in the chaos as a crowd gathered in protest.
A crowd of youths stoned a truck passing through and wanted to set its tyres alight, but adults stopped them.
"Please, please help me," said Megan Foure, clutching her year-old baby and overcome with emotion. "They have taken my things and I have nowhere to go. The government don't feel anything for us. I beg you, please, do something."
On a pavement, distraught pensioners Jacob and Maria Booi spoke of their anguish at being left without a roof over their heads.
"I never thought that in my lifetime I would see people handled in such an inhumane way," Mr Booi said. "To be treated like this in our old age is sad. Our lives are almost finished, but God will take care of this."
At one stage police lobbed stun grenades and opened fire with rubber bullets when a number of people tried to prevent goods from being loaded on to a truck. Later a group of policemen took into custody a man they had chased through backyards.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said: "Police have fired rubber bullets and threw some stun grenades to stop the crowd from injuring the staff of the sheriff of the court. We've arrested a 26-year-old man for possession of petrol bombs and two others for public violence. Our duty is not to evict people, but to ensure that law and order is maintained while the sheriff of the court carries out the eviction."
By Tuesday night hundreds of families had moved their things on to a nearby open field while others still waited for transport to collect theirs.
The eviction appeared well planned as it was done in stages and street by street. It started at Section 1 - the northern side of Delft and later moved to south Section 2. Eviction teams wasted no time removing makeshift windows and doors.
Meanwhile, the ANC "fully supports" the evictions. Said spokesperson Garth Strachan: "The ANC notes Judge Deon van Zyl's ruling that no matter how flawed the housing allocation process was, this cannot be used as a reason to break the law."
He said that there would be anarchy if this was allowed. "The ANC empathises with the plight of homeless people. But communities should remain vigilant and not allow themselves to be used by those with hidden and mischievous agendas."
The situation in Delft was also raised in Parliament on Tuesday, with the ANC targeting the DA and accusing it of sowing racial tensions, the Political Bureau reports.
ANC MP Zo Kota accused the party of trying to "score cheap political points" by encouraging ordinary people to break the law.
She was apparently referring to DA ward councillor Frank Martin. He has been charged with inciting the invasion and is under investigation by the city council for his alleged role in the illegal occupation of the N2 Gateway homes.
She also urged Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille to "show leadership" by urgently acting on the matter.
Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu echoed Kota, telling MPs it was "an absolute disgrace that the DA should sink so low in its desperate bid to rally support".
"I must commend the people who have been moved from Langa and are presently living in temporary shelter."
"I commend them for their restraint and understanding, in the face of this violation."
Sisulu thanked backyard dwellers in Delft who had not responded to "the irresponsible calls from the DA councillor".
"The houses will now be rectified and the intended beneficiaries (will) move in."
She, too, urged Zille to deal with "the delinquent DA councillor" and called on the party's MPs not to "stand by a councillor who is blatantly racist".- Cape Times
They were bracing for a second night of resistance.
Women young and old wept and men hurled abuse at security guards and police as possessions were removed from the N2 Gateway houses in Delft that had been illegally occupied since December.
| 'while we are poor we are not stupid, while we are poor we can still think' |
After dark, hundreds of evictees were milling around on the streets, some in groups, and eyeing the police, security guards and removal workers.
All the while, the police kept up patrols.
A group of clergymen arrived to offer pastoral support and to cool tempers.
"The situation is volatile and explosive," said Wilfred Meyer, Anglican archdeacon for Blue Downs.
| 'I beg you, please, do something' |
On Tuesday night Anti Eviction Campaign leaders met about 400 evictees in a field to discuss plans for the night.
Campaign member Ashraf Cassiem said it seemed people would have to sleep in the open and a number of non-government organisations undertook to provide tents and food on Wednesday morning. People were asked to record the number of children, women, elderly and the disabled who would be spending the night out in the open.
Cassiem said the Anti Eviction Campaign had decided against returning to court to seek leave to appeal to stop the eviction as there was not enough money for costs.
"We expected (the eviction) when we moved here," he said.
"The people who evicted us are the ones who have the money and the ones who have the final say that's even in the court of law."
"I apologise on behalf of the Anti Eviction Campaign for not being able to stop this eviction legally, but remember, while we are poor we are not stupid, while we are poor we can still think.
"These houses were built for us, for our elderly who waited 23 years for a house but now have to sit on the side of the road. These houses have not been built for other people and whoever comes to live in these houses will have nightmares."
Throughout the day there were tense and sporadic stand-offs between police and occupiers of the homes as teams working for a private company cleared houses and loaded household items onto trucks.
Incensed people complained about losing their possessions, later taken to a storage facility in Blackheath. Children looked lost and confused and pets were abandoned in the chaos as a crowd gathered in protest.
A crowd of youths stoned a truck passing through and wanted to set its tyres alight, but adults stopped them.
"Please, please help me," said Megan Foure, clutching her year-old baby and overcome with emotion. "They have taken my things and I have nowhere to go. The government don't feel anything for us. I beg you, please, do something."
On a pavement, distraught pensioners Jacob and Maria Booi spoke of their anguish at being left without a roof over their heads.
"I never thought that in my lifetime I would see people handled in such an inhumane way," Mr Booi said. "To be treated like this in our old age is sad. Our lives are almost finished, but God will take care of this."
At one stage police lobbed stun grenades and opened fire with rubber bullets when a number of people tried to prevent goods from being loaded on to a truck. Later a group of policemen took into custody a man they had chased through backyards.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said: "Police have fired rubber bullets and threw some stun grenades to stop the crowd from injuring the staff of the sheriff of the court. We've arrested a 26-year-old man for possession of petrol bombs and two others for public violence. Our duty is not to evict people, but to ensure that law and order is maintained while the sheriff of the court carries out the eviction."
By Tuesday night hundreds of families had moved their things on to a nearby open field while others still waited for transport to collect theirs.
The eviction appeared well planned as it was done in stages and street by street. It started at Section 1 - the northern side of Delft and later moved to south Section 2. Eviction teams wasted no time removing makeshift windows and doors.
Meanwhile, the ANC "fully supports" the evictions. Said spokesperson Garth Strachan: "The ANC notes Judge Deon van Zyl's ruling that no matter how flawed the housing allocation process was, this cannot be used as a reason to break the law."
He said that there would be anarchy if this was allowed. "The ANC empathises with the plight of homeless people. But communities should remain vigilant and not allow themselves to be used by those with hidden and mischievous agendas."
The situation in Delft was also raised in Parliament on Tuesday, with the ANC targeting the DA and accusing it of sowing racial tensions, the Political Bureau reports.
ANC MP Zo Kota accused the party of trying to "score cheap political points" by encouraging ordinary people to break the law.
She was apparently referring to DA ward councillor Frank Martin. He has been charged with inciting the invasion and is under investigation by the city council for his alleged role in the illegal occupation of the N2 Gateway homes.
She also urged Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille to "show leadership" by urgently acting on the matter.
Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu echoed Kota, telling MPs it was "an absolute disgrace that the DA should sink so low in its desperate bid to rally support".
"I must commend the people who have been moved from Langa and are presently living in temporary shelter."
"I commend them for their restraint and understanding, in the face of this violation."
Sisulu thanked backyard dwellers in Delft who had not responded to "the irresponsible calls from the DA councillor".
"The houses will now be rectified and the intended beneficiaries (will) move in."
She, too, urged Zille to deal with "the delinquent DA councillor" and called on the party's MPs not to "stand by a councillor who is blatantly racist".- Cape Times
1 comment:
I would like to commend the minister's taste in fashion facing this violation and would like to point out the irresponsible use of high heels and bling when visiting M3 Construction sites; bad-hair-days aside.
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