Several residents of Zandspruit retaliated by taking to the streets on August 12 after their shacks had been demolished. They blocked parts of Beyers Naudé Drive.
Sakhumzi Mtwebana said the ward councillor, Victor Mafinya arrived with JMPD officers who started tearing down shacks. “They arrived without warning and without an eviction notice. So we blocked the streets so that, at the very least, our grievances could be heard. No one listens to us in Zandspruit.”
Mtwebana warned that they plan to continue protesting if Mafinya does not give them answers. “People’s possessions have been ruined, so we will go back to the streets and close off that section again. We want to speak with Vic (Mafinya), not the police,” he expressed his frustration. “All we get from Vic is when it is elections, he comes here and tells us lies. This is not the first time; I think this is now the fourth time they come here and destroy shacks. Today, they destroyed around 10 shacks. No eviction order, nothing!”
Xolani Fihla from JMPD said officers were conducting an illegal land-invasion operation on the day and shortly after they had demolished 10 structures, the protests ensued. “The JMPD has authority to demolish unoccupied structures without an eviction notice, meaning no one has stayed there or is currently staying there.”
