Evictions battle in court
Residents who are building up shacks again after being evicted, might face the law.
eMZINONI – Residents are rebuilding their shacks days after they were evicted.
This came after they went to the Bethal Magistrate Courts with their lawyer, Mr Mtshali.
According to their lawyer, his clients won the case against the municipality.
According to them, Mr Mtshali said that the High Court gave a new order, setting aside the eviction order of the municipality.
Mr Bheku Kubheka, municipal spokesman, said there was no such thing and said that if people are building their shacks again, they will face the law.
He said the municipality has a blanket court order of eviction that was obtain in the High Court.
“We do not know what are they saying, but a Magistrate Court can not overrule the High Court.”
More than 2 000 residents of Extension 11 were left homeless after they were evicted on Wednesday, 27 May.
About 800 Red Ants arrived earlier that day to evict the illegal land invaders.
It was a day of confusion and sad to most of these residents, as most of them did not have any alternative places to go to.
Children coming from school went missing as their homes were destroyed and they had to go to Bethal Police Station.
They were later reunited with their parents.
A 27-year-old women collapsed while the Red Ants were breaking down her shack.
Paramedics assisted her and she was taken to Bethal Hospital.
Const Cynthia Mtsweni, police spokesman, said she thinks the woman was overwhelmed by the evictions.
About seven residents were admitted to the Bethal Hospital.
This came after a resident threw a stone at the Red Ants.
It is alleged that they fired rubber bullets at the people.
Mr Mlungisi Masina said he was hit and a group of the Red Ants attacked him.
He said after beating him, they stole his phone and money.
He sustained injuries to the head and legs and intends to open a case with the police.
Residents blamed Ms Lindi Masina, executive mayor, for the evictions.
“We are in this situation because our mayor does not care about us, but only about money and power.
“Some of us have been here for more than five years.
“The mayor promised that she will find us a proper place, but she never did that.
“In a recent meeting with her, she was rude and told us to go back where we coming from.”
A large number of residents slept outside the night of the eviction.
They said they did not have a place to go to and that they do not have relatives in the area to help them.
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