Olievenhoutbosch ‘invaders’ won’t be moved
“The process of evicting these illegal occupants is at an advanced stage."
A group of residents who “invaded” houses in Olievenhoutbosch Extension 27 remain adamant that they will not be moved.
This despite the Gauteng human settlements department saying last week that plans to evict them were “at an advanced stage”.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Eviction of Olievenhoutbosch home grabbers at “advanced stage”
A community representative told Rekord if the department continued with its plans to evict the residents, they would approach the Constitutional Court to oppose it.
“The matter has yet to be decided by the courts after we appealed against the eviction in May of last year,” said Peter Seolela, ward 106 chairperson for the EFF.
“The department is not consulting with residents and is instead using the courts to bully residents.”
Seolela claims residents were promised 4 500 houses would be built in 2014, but only 1 500 of these had been completed a year later.
“The houses were empty for two years before we mobilised community members to move into them,” he said.
“Of the houses promised to residents of Mooiplaas and Olievenhoutbosch, 70% have yet to be completed.
“The process of evicting these illegal occupants is at an advanced stage,” said Tahir Sema.
ALSO READ: VIDEO: New mobile clinics for Olievenhoutbosch, Mooiplaas residents
“The houses will be allocated after the eviction.”
Sema said the invaders appealed their eviction, forcing the department to await the court decision.
Earlier this year, about 1 500 residents from Mooiplaas raised their concerns in solidarity with the 841 families left homeless by the house grab.
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