The Harry Gwala informal settlement stands today as a symbol of residents’ victory after years of court battles and repeated evictions, but for one woman, the struggle never ended.

Ward 110 social development committee member Annikie Mothibi claims she returned from hospital to discover that the stand she had occupied before the legal victory had been allocated to another resident.

The disputed stand is located in Harry Gwala near Mayibuye, an area that was previously known as the Sithole View informal settlement, before residents eventually secured the land after years of legal battles and repeated evictions since 2019.

Read more: Sanco responds to Harry Gwala informal settlement stand dispute involving Ward 110 committee member

Mothibi alleges that before she was hospitalised, she had already erected and fenced a fully built zozo structure on the stand.

She said the structure was one of only a handful that survived repeated demolition operations by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department and the red ants because it was fully built and occupied.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, residents were repeatedly removed from the land as authorities enforced anti-land invasion laws.

Community members estimate they were evicted nearly 10 times before successfully challenging the removals through the courts, eventually allowing residents to permanently settle on the land.

According to Mothibi, she left another resident to look after her home when she was admitted to hospital. However, when she was discharged in either 2021 or 2022, she said she returned to find another family occupying her stand while her zozo structure had been relocated to another section of the settlement.

“I was shocked when I returned from hospital. My zozo survived all the demolitions. I had fenced my yard and left everything inside, including my bed and stove. When I came back, another family was living on my stand.

Also read: Midrand community leaders divided over alleged stand reallocation in Harry Gwala informal settlement

“The people staying there told me to ask Sanco [South African National Civic Organisation] leader Thandi Matedza and Ward 110 housing committee member Kwena Moholola because they were allocating stands after the community won the land.

“My zozo was relocated to another part of the settlement, which is a dumping site. Everyone knew that stand belonged to me because it was one of the few that was never demolished. I still want to know who authorised the removal of my home.”

She said she does not have a home. She now lives in President Park, but it is not her home.

Housing committee disputes claims

Moholola confirmed that Mothibi occupied a stand during the Sithole View days, but disputes that she retained rights to the stand after the settlement evolved into Harry Gwala.

She said residents who remained actively involved throughout the prolonged struggle eventually received official stand allocations once the development was approved. “Annikie had a stand during the Sithole View period, when all our makeshift structures were continuously demolished.

“I never gave up. We continued engaging the housing department until we were finally allowed to build permanent structures. By that stage there was nothing left on Annikie’s stand.”

Moholola said some community leaders, including herself, were unaware that Mothibi had been hospitalised. “She simply disappeared. We had many people who worked far away, but they still returned every few months to ask about the struggle. We never knew she was in hospital.”

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She further alleged that the man Mothibi had left to occupy the structure was later removed by community members after allegedly committing criminal activities.

“The community removed the man because he was allegedly stealing. After that there was no proper structure left on the stand. Eventually another person was allocated the site according to our beneficiary list.”

Moholola rejected allegations that community leaders unlawfully removed Mothibi’s home or threatened her. “Many people gave up because their homes kept being demolished. Those who remained endured the struggle until we eventually won the land.”

Moholola also disputed claims that Mothibi’s structure was among the few not demolished. “From the beginning, all our structures were repeatedly demolished. I never saw a fully built, fenced house that remained untouched.

“It has been about six years since Harry Gwala was established. Annikie only came back to claim the stand much later. If someone leaves a structure, they must also ensure someone is looking after it.”

Sanco secretary Thandi Matedza said the committee will convene a meeting on July 7 and will invite Midrand Reporter. The outcome of the meeting will be published in the next edition of Midrand Reporter.

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