Red Ants halt land invasion
Residents burned down newly built RDP houses when they were evicted from the land they illegally occupied.
The Kagiso community has been facing off with the Red Ants at the intersection of the R41 and Impala Road in Kagiso since the morning of 5 September.
The uproar comes after residents occupied the land in question early last week. Some residents claimed that the land was up for grabs and all one had to do was bring an ID document to register for the land. As early as Sunday, 4 September, people were erecting shacks on the land.
The Red Ants are currently evicting the land occupiers. It is rumored that this might be in connection with the newly built RDP houses in Extension 13, since some residents are threatening to burn the new homes down. “Mogale City security and the Red Ants are currently on the scene to disperse the crowd,” said Papi Motaung, the spokesperson for the Mogale City Traffic Department.
“The Mogale City Local Municipality strongly condemns the invasion of land currently taking place within the city and in Kagiso Extension 17 which is next to the new Extension 13,” a Mogale City spokesperson said in a statement.
The local municipality acknowledges it is aware of the housing and land needs of residents in the city and promises to work with the Gauteng Provincial Government and the West Rand District Municipality to deliver housing and reduce the housing backlog.
“We are aware of the land invasion that is happening. It started last Wednesday and this morning the Red Ants were sent to evict the people involved. Community members resisted by throwing stones at the police and the Red Ants, but they were eventually removed. After they were removed, they burned down three or four newly built RDP houses and damaged another 100,” Gauteng police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubela told the News.
The News will update you as this situation unfolds.
Also Read:
Mogale City condemns invasion of land
