Mams squatters hunted by hyenas want to be moved to safe land

The squatters that have been resisting the Tshwane metro efforts to move away from the land near the Mamelodi reservoir are demanding they be relocated quickly for their safety.

The metro has been trying to evict these squatters without success after locals claimed their taps were running dry because the land invaders were stealing water from the reservoir but connecting pipes to their shacks directly from it.

The squatters complained earlier this week that at night wild animals like snakes and hyenas crawl out of their nesting places to the area they now call home.

Squatter Solly Mogano said recently he woke up to a big snake in his shack, while at night he could hear hyenas laughing as they roam around the shacks.

He said his fellow squatters feared for their lives after they discovered that they were surrounded by wild animals and that they were afraid to use the toilets outside their shacks at night.

They pleaded with the metro to relocate them to a safe place and they are prepared to pay for services.

“We want nothing else to do with the land but to relocate to a safer. The Tshwane metro doesn’t have to stress about organising transport for us to move. We will pay for our own transport,” said Mogane.

He said they didn’t build their shacks there by choice.

They moved from Eersterfabriek’s 7/7 informal settlement after floods washed away their homes in February last year February.

After spending months sheltering in the Mamelodi community hall, a local traditional leader found them a new home.

“We were moved here by the late Mapulana king Ntana Lekhuleni, who came to our rescue and relocated us here,” he said.

Other squatters also complained their shacks were being blown away by the strong winds.

“We are placed at the top of the mountain,” he added.

He said recently a fellow squatter was bitten by a snake on his way from work.

“We are afraid one day we might wake up with dead bodies,” Mogano said.

He said some squatter had built shacks dangerously under the big water pipes, and also confirmed that they have illegally connected their homes to the water pipes at the reservoir and this was causing a water shortage in Mamelodi.

Another squatter, Isaac Makitla, said the majority of his fellow squatters were employed and willing to pay for all metro-provided services.

He said all they wanted from the government was that it tells them where to build their homes.

“We have our own money and can build our own houses all we want is land and as for services we can pay for them we are not running away from paying for services. We don’t want free things,” he said.

Residents of Mahube Valley, Mamelodi East phases 3 and 4 have blamed the squatters for the water shortage they have been experiencing in the area.

Last year, Ikageng extension 3 started experiencing a loss of water pressure and then dried-up taps.

The residents said this problem then spread to other areas in Mamelodi, including Emasangweni primary school.

The parents of learners at the school believed that the illegal water connections to the reservoir were the main reason for the persistent outages.

“Now, our schoolchildren are forced to carry at least two water bottles to school every day for hydration while teachers who have cars ferry water buckets to school,” said parents.

Still waiting for a comment from Tshwane metro.

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