Situation in Mnandi remains tense after shack demolition – authorities
Protesters damaged three properties including a school.
Mnandi in Centurion remained “volatile and tense” on Wednesday, a local CPF member has said.
On Tuesday, squatters and land owners had almost come to blows during a court-sanctioned demolition of illegal shacks.
The Tshwane metro police (TMPD) had to stand guard to ensure there was no violence.
On Tuesday afternoon Rekord quoted observers as saying the local police had restored calm to the area but CPF member Lukas Olivier said on Wednesday tensions remained high.
“There is an increased police presence in the area and that is the calm they are referring to,” he said without giving further details.
And police spokesperson Colonel Adolf Corbett said the situation was indeed “tense” but “things were calm”.
“The situation is still the same as Tuesday in that it is very calm but remains volatile.
“The police are still monitoring the area.”
Corbett said the protesters had retaliated to the eviction by damaging three properties including a school.
He said there had yet to be an arrest for the public violence but the police were still investigating.
TMPD spokesperson Isaac Mahamba had said on Tuesday that TMPD accompanied a service provider to the area to demolish illegal shacks on private property in Olievenhoutbosch.
Mahamba said TMPD’s role in the legally sanctioned demolition had been to maintain order and ensure safety for both parties.
He added that the service provider completed the work without hindrance.
“The service provider managed to demolish about 600 illegal shacks that were erected by the community,” he said.
Mahamba said the metro police would monitor the area until normality was restored.
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