Possible injuries to residents and extensive damage to a temporary housing scheme were averted last weekend through the intervention of police and private security guards.
The intervention on 22 August was against an illegal invasion of temporary corrugated iron rooms on 2nd Street, Marlboro, by people from Alex said to be disgruntled by not being allocated the rooms.
According to the area councillor, Lilian Kekana, the problem started when council officials allocated the rooms to three groups of people in its register for housing. One group was people temporarily sheltered at the Marlboro sports grounds since the beginning of the year after they had been moved from outside Botlhabela, Ext 2 flats, Eastbank, which they had tried but failed to occupy.
The second group was people moved from shacks constructed on water mains along Vincent Tshabalala Road. Kekana said they had to be moved as their shacks were damaging water pipes and affecting water supply to the township.
The third group was evictees from a private property in Wynberg.
Kekana added that the attempted invasion was by people seeking to disturb an orderly process. “In frustration after their failed attempt, they burnt down three temporary toilets and also uprooted three of the rooms which at the time were unoccupied. Neighbours assisted the owners to remount the rooms and, luckily, no one was injured in the invasion,” she said.
Some residents at the scheme said the invaders claimed they were entitled to the rooms as the area was theirs, but none presented documentary proof of the claim.
The residents said that as they were temporary at the place, they expected council to inform them of the length of their stay, and where and when permanent housing would be ready for them. Also, they said they expected council to fulfil a commitment to fix doors, door handles and windows damaged by the invaders.
They further expressed concerns about the structures which, they said, leaked. They also claim the ground is uneven and likely to be washed away with the structures when the heavy rains come.
Kekana said the housing beneficiaries should be aware that the scheme was temporary and drew from a limited council budget.
Meanwhile police and private security maintained a presence in the area.
Details: Councillor Kekana 082 484 6762.
