The tenants are facing charges of malicious damage to property, and, they are expected to make their first court appearance today (Thursday). This comes after a unit was set alight at the housing complex.

On Wednesday evening, the security building was also set alight and tyres were used to barricade the entrance of the complex building.
The damage to property due to unrest has been estimated at around R13 million.

The angry tenants have been staging demonstrations at the complex since mid-January.

They told www.mobserver.co.za that there is:
• No service delivery and building maintenance happening at the flats
• There are constant electricity cuts due to non-payment by the Steve Tshwete Housing Association
• Illegal evictions
• Illegal towing of vehicles, and unlawful repossessing of furniture.

Tenants are also complaining about the newly installed biometric system which prohibits occupants who don’t pay their rent.

Tenants want a trust fund to be set up in order for them to pay their rent into the account instead of the housing association’s account.

They also said the reason they don’t want to pay rent into the association’s account is because the Steve Tshwete Housing Association doesn’t pay rates and services to the municipality which results in residents being unable to purchase electricity.

The CEO of the Steve Tshwete Housing Association, Mr Thomas Ntuli said the protesting occupants are against the biometric system.
He said 51 tenants who are against this system live in the subsidised units.

Mr Ntuli said if the tenants open a trust fund, it would be illegal and an act of property hijacking.
He also added that 21 units have been refurbished.

Concerning the towing of vehicles, Mr Ntuli said there is a clause in the tenants’ contract that states that damaged stationary vehicles will be towed after the tenant has been notified.