ABOUT 200 protesters blocked Stellenbosch Arterial between Erica Drive and Modderdam Road by throwing stones and burning tyres over housing disputes.
This led to an urgent meeting being arranged between residents of the Freedom Farm informal settlement in Belhar and city officials for 10am today.
Police fired rubber bullets at the crowd after they became aggressive and injured a student constable.
Freedom Farm’s Section B committee chairwoman, Margaret Faas, said she had been living in a shack for 23 years and was still waiting for her house while people who had come to the informal settlement only three or less years ago were being moved to the new Symphony Way as part of the N2 Gateway housing project at Delft.
“All of this started on Monday when people came to say who would be getting council houses next. On Tuesday 30 families from the new section were given homes and only 14 to our people,” she said.
“Those people haven’t been here longer than two or three years, we have been here for over 20 years. That’s when we decided enough is enough.
“They told us that only 505 families would get the council houses, but there are almost 1 000 families living here.”
Ward councillor Asa Abrahams said it was a case of “miscommunication”.
“We will be having a meeting with all the parties involved to solve the issue of relocation and to try and clarify the confusion.”
Councillor Ernest Sonnenberg, mayoral committee member for human settlements, said: “The city… is confirming the status of all persons listed to ensure that they meet the criteria.”
Police spokesman November Filander said a resident threw a rock at a female student constable.
“She was taken to hospital.”
Filander said police had fired rubber bullets when the crowd threw stones and bricks at officers.
No one had been arrested.
- Cape Times
This led to an urgent meeting being arranged between residents of the Freedom Farm informal settlement in Belhar and city officials for 10am today.
Police fired rubber bullets at the crowd after they became aggressive and injured a student constable.
Freedom Farm’s Section B committee chairwoman, Margaret Faas, said she had been living in a shack for 23 years and was still waiting for her house while people who had come to the informal settlement only three or less years ago were being moved to the new Symphony Way as part of the N2 Gateway housing project at Delft.
“All of this started on Monday when people came to say who would be getting council houses next. On Tuesday 30 families from the new section were given homes and only 14 to our people,” she said.
“Those people haven’t been here longer than two or three years, we have been here for over 20 years. That’s when we decided enough is enough.
“They told us that only 505 families would get the council houses, but there are almost 1 000 families living here.”
Ward councillor Asa Abrahams said it was a case of “miscommunication”.
“We will be having a meeting with all the parties involved to solve the issue of relocation and to try and clarify the confusion.”
Councillor Ernest Sonnenberg, mayoral committee member for human settlements, said: “The city… is confirming the status of all persons listed to ensure that they meet the criteria.”
Police spokesman November Filander said a resident threw a rock at a female student constable.
“She was taken to hospital.”
Filander said police had fired rubber bullets when the crowd threw stones and bricks at officers.
No one had been arrested.
- Cape Times
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