The fight for land for the residents of Tswelopele Extension 8, near Clayville is far from over. This is according to the disgruntled residents who vowed mayhem should they be forcefully evicted from the land they occupy. The residents rebuilt their shacks after they were demolished by the city council.
“We have been staging peaceful protests all these times but not anymore. The people are tired of not being listened to,” said Elias Mashabela, one of the community leaders.
He also threatened they would raise funds to challenge the City at the high court.
However, City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe said the residents were illegally occupying the land which rightfully belongs to the municipality.
“The land belongs to the municipality and will be utilised for relocation purposes, for re-blocking programme and to relocate the residents of Duduza/Tswelopele settlement who have built under the Eskom power lines.
“The re-blocking programme will be undertaken to allow Eskom to electrify Tswelopele Ext 8 and Duduza informal settlements,” said Gadebe.
He said the re-blocking of informal settlements is a programme to ensure that all informal settlement residents enjoy a dignified habitation with decent sanitation, clean running water and electricity supply.
Gadebe revealed that the EMPD’s Land Invasion Unit had during the course of the month demolished approximately 250 incomplete shacks that were illegally erected.
He appealed to the residents to cooperate with the City to find amicable solutions to their land and housing disputes.
“Through community meetings, the City will engage the community so that they do not participate in illegal activities, but work with
the city to find solutions to their human settlement issues.
“Land invasion is a criminal act and is disruptive to the improvement of informal settlements into decent formal settlements,” explained Gadebe.
Gadebe said the EMPD would continue to monitor and prevent any attempt to illegally invade the land.
