WATCH: 15 shacks demolished in an operation near Elandspark

Although there were no arrests, 15 shacks which were unoccupied and unfinished were demolished during the Cleveland/Moffat View Integrated Disruptive Operation on April 29.

This operation, which was conducted by law enforcement agencies including SAPS Cluster, JMPD, private security companies and AmaPanyaza crime wardens was carried out at the Lindokuhle informal settlement.

The operation was led by Colonel Lekalakala and he explained that only the unoccupied and unfinished shacks would be targeted. He explained why they were doing this operation.

Massive joint operation targets illegal occupants in Moffat View precinct pic.twitter.com/598VC743FB

— Southern Courier SA (@courier_sa) April 29, 2024

“JMPD cannot do this operation on their own hence the integrated law enforcement agencies. We have a problem next to Elandspark where people thought they would just occupy the land. There’s also illegal mining there.

“JMPD had been trying their best to disrupt these people, also the councillor struggled a lot. When we don’t address this they will come back to the councillor to demand services. We are going to search every shack and any illegal things found will be confiscated,” he said.

Ward 57 councillor Faeeza Chame said Lindokuhle informal settlement is an illegal settlement. “These people have been here for a while now. They have been warned that some of the shacks will be demolished. However, we are not demolishing all the shacks, only those which are empty.

Ward 57 Clr Faeeza Chame addresses the media during an operation in Moffat View precinct pic.twitter.com/66IPR4liC6

— Southern Courier SA (@courier_sa) April 29, 2024

“We are still waiting for the court order to come because this land belongs to the city. If people want to invade land they need to apply accordingly and make it legal. All the law enforcement agencies are here.

“Some of the people here are upset about what we are doing, but we are only following the law, people need to adhere and follow the law. We cannot be lawless all the time. Wherever you go in Johannesburg it is just informal settlements coming all over and the city doesn’t have a proper plan to deal with these informal settlements. It is not fair to the ratepayers, people are paying bonds for their houses and just for squatters to come up all over, this is lawlessness,” she said.

The Southern Courier spoke to some of the residents. Thero Tshele, said he was there because life is difficult. “I don’t have a place to stay hence I’m here. I do odd jobs to survive. I also have a solar power where I charge people R5 to charge their phones, these are some of the ways in which I get money,” he said.

WATCH: An angry resident expresses frustration with the SAPS during an operation in Moffat View precinct pic.twitter.com/4xR0Mtw2ml

— Southern Courier SA (@courier_sa) April 29, 2024

Zanele Chagi, who is originally from Bizana in the Eastern Cape, said, “I came here in 2017. There were only seven shacks including mine when we started. We are the pioneers of this place. It is painful to see other people’s shacks demolished,” she said.

Senior attorney Nkosinathi Sithole from Socio-Economic Rights Institute of SA, who is representing the people of Lindokuhle informal settlement, was also at the scene and he condemned the demolitions of the shacks. “Even the demolition of an unoccupied shack amounts to an eviction. They can search for illegal things but they mustn’t demolish the shacks. This is unlawful,” he said.

Police confiscated a gas cylinder, working tools, an overhead service cable and a machine used to pull out copper.

Law enforcement agencies conduct a search during a joint operation in Elandspark pic.twitter.com/tWoh81fKtm

— Southern Courier SA (@courier_sa) April 29, 2024