Mamelodi invaders ‘attacked’
"The metro police officers ambushed us on Tuesday afternoon while some were at work".
Residents of so-called Malemaville, a piece of open land targeted for invasion outside Mamelodi, claimed on Tuesday afternoon that the metro police had attacked them and burnt down their shacks.
They complained that they had lost everything they had, including furniture, clothes and important documents.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member, Eddie Mathiba said: “We were supposed to have a meeting with the metro police on Thursday morning and we were surprised to be attacked by the metro police on Tuesday afternoon.”
He said many people suffered serious injuries from rubber bullets fired at them.
“It is unfair what the metro has done to us. What is going to happen to the meeting we were supposed to have?”
Mathiba said the attacks started on Saturday, adding that his left arm was broken in the process.
“The medicine the doctors gave me burnt to ashes in Tuesday afternoon’s attack.”
Tshwane metro spokesperson, Blessing Manale said: “We have handed them a notice to vacate the land because it belongs to the Tshwane metro. I cannot confirm that it was the metro police who attacked them on Tuesday afternoon. But if we do not remove them as soon as possible, the numbers will grow.”
Mathiba vowed to stay put.
“We will not budge from this land, because it is our basic human rights to have housing.”
The EFF has been leading several attempts to invade the land illegally. These efforts have so far been repelled by the metro police.
Tshwane Metro Police spokesperson Isaac Mahamba on Tuesday told Rekord that the situation is calm and under control.
“No arrests have been made, no streets are closed and police are monitoring the situation.”
Mahamba could not comment on the allegetions that the metro police attacked and shot the residents with rubber bullets.
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Also read: Metro police fire rubber bullets to disperse angry mob
Tshwane seeks order against invasions
