Sixteen people, six of them Metro Police officers, were injured in a clash when people invaded two pieces of land in Mitchell’s Plain at the weekend
The City of Cape Town anti-land invasion unit was called out on Saturday and yesterday to demolish structures built by about 150 backyard dwellers on land next to the Swartklip sportsfield in Tafelsig, near the Kapteinsklip station.
The backyarders, who were from Rocklands and Tafelsig, became unruly after the SAPS and Metro Police were called.
During a stand-off yesterday, stones were hurled at the officers, who fired rubber bullets.
Metro Police spokeswoman Yolanda Faro said six officers were injured, while backyarders said 10 people were wounded and eight arrested.
Last night, motorists used alternative routes because the intersection at Spine and Swartklip roads was blocked, with people burning tyres.
About 2km from the intersection, Rico Willemse and his wife, Natasha, were sitting beside a fire on the land near the Kapteinsklip station. They had been on the land since Saturday. They built a shack yesterday, but law enforcement officials demolished it.
Willemse said he, his wife and their two disabled children had been living in his in-laws’ Tafelsig backyard for five years.
“We will stay here until they build us houses,” he said.
“(Human Settlements MEC) Bonginkosi Madikizela said 10 percent of new houses in Eastridge would go to elderly people and disabled people, but if you go there, you’ll see young people.”
Backyarder Clifford Bernardo alleged officers had assaulted people.
“We don’t want violence, we just want housing. If they come at us violently, people react.”
Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith visited the scene, but refused to comment, saying he would have to “assess the situation before we say anything”.
- Cape Times
The City of Cape Town anti-land invasion unit was called out on Saturday and yesterday to demolish structures built by about 150 backyard dwellers on land next to the Swartklip sportsfield in Tafelsig, near the Kapteinsklip station.
The backyarders, who were from Rocklands and Tafelsig, became unruly after the SAPS and Metro Police were called.
During a stand-off yesterday, stones were hurled at the officers, who fired rubber bullets.
Metro Police spokeswoman Yolanda Faro said six officers were injured, while backyarders said 10 people were wounded and eight arrested.
Last night, motorists used alternative routes because the intersection at Spine and Swartklip roads was blocked, with people burning tyres.
About 2km from the intersection, Rico Willemse and his wife, Natasha, were sitting beside a fire on the land near the Kapteinsklip station. They had been on the land since Saturday. They built a shack yesterday, but law enforcement officials demolished it.
Willemse said he, his wife and their two disabled children had been living in his in-laws’ Tafelsig backyard for five years.
“We will stay here until they build us houses,” he said.
“(Human Settlements MEC) Bonginkosi Madikizela said 10 percent of new houses in Eastridge would go to elderly people and disabled people, but if you go there, you’ll see young people.”
Backyarder Clifford Bernardo alleged officers had assaulted people.
“We don’t want violence, we just want housing. If they come at us violently, people react.”
Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith visited the scene, but refused to comment, saying he would have to “assess the situation before we say anything”.
- Cape Times
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