More than 100 Mamelodi East families have been left homeless after Tshwane metro demolished 58 shacks in Extension 11 informal settlement. The tearing down of informal structures started last Thursday.
Tshwane metro said the land had been earmarked for development and was illegally occupied by informal residents.
Distraught Frans Letsoalo said: “We’ve been staying at Extension 11 for more than 20 years and today the Tshwane metro wants to remove us without any notice of evictions. We have no place to go and they have destroyed our shacks. We are going to take legal action against the Tshwane metro.”
Letsoalo said he lost R3 000 when his shack was destroyed.
Thomas Shongwe (67) said his furniture was ruined. “The metro told us last year November they were not going to remove us, and would develop Extension 11 into permanent stands.”
Tshwane metro spokesperson Blessing Manale said the township planning for Extension 11 began in 1994 by the Mamelodi Town Council . In 1995 a total of 1707 residential stands were confirmed in terms of the approval layout map for Extension 11. In addition two stands were earmarked for schools and four for churches.
“The City managed to fully service 563 stands and partially service 137 but since then many residential stands have been invaded by squatters,” he said.
“Tshwane metro had a meeting with the residents of Extension 11 on 3 July this year and all agreed those people who invaded the land must relocate to their original place to allow the rearrangements team to proceed with the work.”
Manale said the City was not prepared to create a transit camp and everyone had to be relocated to a permanent stand.
“This is why we have reserved 70 permanent stands at Heatherly (Nellmapius Extension 24) for all those who will be affected as per assessment by the land surveyor.”
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