Residents distraught after Red Ants destroy their shacks in Austin View
The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has urged and warned members of the public to resist temptations to illegally invade land.
The removal of illegal dwellers in an open veld in Austin View and Rabie Ridge was welcomed by the Austin View Ext1 residents.
The demolition of the structures on April 5, and again on April 7, was however not welcomed by some of the residents who had erected structures there where they were living full time. The eviction operation was carried out by the City of Johannesburg, together with the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, JMPD and the Red Ants.
Hundreds of shacks and structures [brick-and-mortar] were taken down by authorities. However, there were still many that were not demolished and it remains unclear why other shacks and structures were not taken down.
Read more: Rabie Ridge and Austin View land grabbers removed by JMPD officials, return a week later
Angry residents of the demolished shacks blocked the exit routes on April 8, affecting major roads, including Dane, Republic and Modderfontein roads.
The squatters blocked the roads with debris and brought traffic to a standstill.
According to a statement released by the Human Settlements Department and the city, the open veld belonged to both entities.
In a joint press release, the two government spheres said in 2017, the city obtained a court interdict, prohibiting unauthorised persons from settling on the land without permission.
“Despite numerous engagements, the invaders ignored the interdict and continued to erect structures over the vast expanse straddling both the city and the department-owned land. Several eviction attempts were stopped mid-stride because different groups approached courts at different times in their failed attempts to delay and rescind this action. Both spheres of government stand ready to immediately approach the relevant court in the event of any challenge to this action,” said the statement.
It further urged and warned members of the public to resist temptations to illegally invade land and any government property as this will only result in them losing their hard-earned money and investments during evictions.
Read more: Human Settlement and JMPD aware of Austin View land invasion
Osmond Mngomezulu from Mngomezulo Attorneys, representing the disgruntled land occupiers, said unlawful evictions were being carried out, with the last one being on 30 November last year.
He said thereafter, they went to the High Court and interdicted any evictions. “We then went to the High Court and brought an application to declare the eviction and demolition unlawful; and also interdicted the city and JMPD from coming back to the property to evict the occupiers. That application is pending before the High Court in Johannesburg and the city has appointed attorneys to represent it and filed a notice to oppose.”
He said the 2017 court interdict was too old and was used to evict people then. However, it has since been declared unlawful by Judge du Plessis (A J) in the Pretoria High Court.
Community leader Sibonelo Duma said, “I am disappointed that the shacks and structures were demolished despite there being no eviction order as yet. According to our representative, the matter is still at court and our lawyer and the city’s legal representatives still need to go and argue the matter in court.”
Related article: Austin View residents to boycott rates if land invaders not removed
