Housing MEC Whitey Jacobs faced the ire of some Gugulethu, Nyanga and Langa backyard dwellers who marched to his house in Gugulethu and dumped their refuse in his garden.
The backyarders kept a promise they made in August when they invaded a piece of land off Lansdowne Road on Saturday, but Metro Police arrived and blocked their progress.
Incensed, the 300 people walked a kilometre to Jacobs's house, emptied rubbish bins in his garden and demanded he address their housing concerns.
"People decided to go to the MEC's house in Malunga Park near the Gugulethu police station. We collected rubbish bins on the way and waited for the MEC as we wanted to show him we mean business. He came with bodyguards and lots of police. He appeared upset when we told him how long people waited for houses," said Mncedisi Twalo, Gugulethu chairperson of the Anti-eviction Campaign.
He said Jacobs was invited to a meeting with backyarders to be held soon to explain the government's housing plans for backyarders.
Gugulethu backyard dweller Nomveliso Speelman said: "That land should be made available to us because people grow old while waiting for a house. The MEC does not seem to have answers and he is unclear on what people should expect.
"What he must understand is that people want houses. I need a house myself and I'll die for a house. Backyarders have been let down by the ANC. They voted for the ANC on the promise of housing, but it has been a lie all the time. This is why people say 'no house no vote'. This is the saddest thing."
Council manager for specialised services Rudolph Wiltshire said law enforcement officers removed about 150 pegs knocked into the ground to demarcate plots.
He said staff were on standby following the threat of a land invasion, but there were no materials to confiscate and no arrests were made.
Justin de Allende, head of ministry in Jacobs's office, said: "All the MEC wants to say at this stage is that it happened, that he is speaking to them and that he will issue a statement later."
- Cape Times
The backyarders kept a promise they made in August when they invaded a piece of land off Lansdowne Road on Saturday, but Metro Police arrived and blocked their progress.
Incensed, the 300 people walked a kilometre to Jacobs's house, emptied rubbish bins in his garden and demanded he address their housing concerns.
"People decided to go to the MEC's house in Malunga Park near the Gugulethu police station. We collected rubbish bins on the way and waited for the MEC as we wanted to show him we mean business. He came with bodyguards and lots of police. He appeared upset when we told him how long people waited for houses," said Mncedisi Twalo, Gugulethu chairperson of the Anti-eviction Campaign.
He said Jacobs was invited to a meeting with backyarders to be held soon to explain the government's housing plans for backyarders.
Gugulethu backyard dweller Nomveliso Speelman said: "That land should be made available to us because people grow old while waiting for a house. The MEC does not seem to have answers and he is unclear on what people should expect.
"What he must understand is that people want houses. I need a house myself and I'll die for a house. Backyarders have been let down by the ANC. They voted for the ANC on the promise of housing, but it has been a lie all the time. This is why people say 'no house no vote'. This is the saddest thing."
Council manager for specialised services Rudolph Wiltshire said law enforcement officers removed about 150 pegs knocked into the ground to demarcate plots.
He said staff were on standby following the threat of a land invasion, but there were no materials to confiscate and no arrests were made.
Justin de Allende, head of ministry in Jacobs's office, said: "All the MEC wants to say at this stage is that it happened, that he is speaking to them and that he will issue a statement later."
- Cape Times
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