Residents of Gugulethu’s informal settlements have demanded the city rebuilds at least 13 shacks the Anti-Land Invasion Unit has demolished over the past month.
About 500 residents marched to the Fezeka municipal offices on Friday in protest against the Anti-Land Invasion Unit’s actions, claiming that 13 shacks recently demolished by the unit had been in existence for years and the unit had no right to demolish them.
Friday’s march followed protests by residents of Gugulethu’s Europe, Kanana and Barcelona informal settlements at the beginning of this month when residents placed burning tyres across the N2 highway into Cape Town during the early hours of the morning, before police arrived and opened fire with rubber bullets. The residents also blocked the NY108 road in Gugulethu with stones before marching along the N2 later that afternoon.
Europe Residents’ Committee member Vuyokazi Matola said: “More than 15 shacks have been demolish in my area within a month. They said those shacks were new but we know they’ve been there for years.”
Matola said the Anti-Land Invasion Unit did not inform residents’ committee members before carrying out their demolition and did not check whether the shacks were inhabited.
He said the shacks were demolished simply because residents were replacing old and rusting zinc sheets on the roofs and walls.
“What the city is doing is very wrong. They don’t want people to renovate their shacks. Once a person changes the zinc they demolish the whole shack. Some of the shacks have been there for 22 years, some are leaking and the owner has no choice but to renovate them,” said Matola.
He said the city did not build houses for them yet demolished the homes people built for themselves.
Ward councillor Mzwakhe Nqavashe said a memorandum was handed to officials at the Fezeka municipal offices and the City was given three days to answer.
The memo was handed to sub-council official Mimi Manatha, who promised to pass it on to the relevant person.
Manatha said a meeting with the Anti-Land Invasion Unit would be held tomorrow to which all committee members would be invited.
“You will all have a chance to speak with them and have chances to ask questions,” said Manatha.
Hans Smit, the executive director of human settlements, said the city was investigating the circumstances surrounding the demolition of shacks and would report back within a day or two.
About 500 residents marched to the Fezeka municipal offices on Friday in protest against the Anti-Land Invasion Unit’s actions, claiming that 13 shacks recently demolished by the unit had been in existence for years and the unit had no right to demolish them.
Friday’s march followed protests by residents of Gugulethu’s Europe, Kanana and Barcelona informal settlements at the beginning of this month when residents placed burning tyres across the N2 highway into Cape Town during the early hours of the morning, before police arrived and opened fire with rubber bullets. The residents also blocked the NY108 road in Gugulethu with stones before marching along the N2 later that afternoon.
Europe Residents’ Committee member Vuyokazi Matola said: “More than 15 shacks have been demolish in my area within a month. They said those shacks were new but we know they’ve been there for years.”
Matola said the Anti-Land Invasion Unit did not inform residents’ committee members before carrying out their demolition and did not check whether the shacks were inhabited.
He said the shacks were demolished simply because residents were replacing old and rusting zinc sheets on the roofs and walls.
“What the city is doing is very wrong. They don’t want people to renovate their shacks. Once a person changes the zinc they demolish the whole shack. Some of the shacks have been there for 22 years, some are leaking and the owner has no choice but to renovate them,” said Matola.
He said the city did not build houses for them yet demolished the homes people built for themselves.
Ward councillor Mzwakhe Nqavashe said a memorandum was handed to officials at the Fezeka municipal offices and the City was given three days to answer.
The memo was handed to sub-council official Mimi Manatha, who promised to pass it on to the relevant person.
Manatha said a meeting with the Anti-Land Invasion Unit would be held tomorrow to which all committee members would be invited.
“You will all have a chance to speak with them and have chances to ask questions,” said Manatha.
Hans Smit, the executive director of human settlements, said the city was investigating the circumstances surrounding the demolition of shacks and would report back within a day or two.
– WCN
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