Illegal land invasion halted
A suspect was arrested for assault during the anti-land invasion operation and is in custody at the Etwatwa Police Station.
The community members of Emaphupheni, Etwatwa, barricaded Chris Hani Drive with burning tyres and rocks after clashing with EMPD officers on June 23.
The clash came after members of the EMPD Land Invasion Unit demolished and confiscated their building materials at a vacant site they had occupied illegally.
Angry community members assaulted an EMPD traffic warden during the anti-land invasion operation.
Officers fired rubber bullets at the community members.
According to EMPD media liaison officer Lerato Monyane, the officer was hit on the head by an unknown object when he and colleagues dismantled structures at a site targeted by the land invaders.
Clement Khoza, a community member, said they had decided to occupy the land because it had been vacant for years.
“I don’t understand why they will not allow us to build shacks because no one is claiming this land,” said Khoza.
Residents alleged they bought the stands at the low cost of R10.
Before the residents took to the streets, they met with the MMC for Human Settlements, Masele Madihlaba, at the Etwatwa Customer Centre and presented him with a petition.
He required proof that the residents bought the land, but they allegedly failed to provide any.
Speaking to the Benoni City Times, Madihlaba said the site is demarcated between Mpumalanga and Emaphupheni.
“The vacant land is unallocated, so we can’t allow the residents to occupy it,” said Madihlaba.
A suspect was arrested for assault during the operation and is in custody at the Etwatwa Police Station.
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