Red Ants raid homeless people’s land (Pretoria News)
Scores of homeless people living on a piece of land near Moreleta Park have been left without a roof over their head after their structures were destroyed by Joint Venture security guards yesterday. The people said the security guards - also known as the Red Ants - were accompanied by Tshwane Metro Police officers.
The homeless people, some of whom claim they have been living there for more than 10 years, said they were served with a notice on Friday to vacate the land on the southern side of Hans Strijdom Drive, between Rubenstein Drive and Boeing Road. The notice reads: “You are hereby officially instructed to stop all illegal building activities you are busy with. You are in the process of breaking the law and the necessary steps will be taken (against you).”
The homeless people had used cardboard boxes and plastic to erect shelters to protect themselves from the elements. They claim that as far as they know, the land belongs to Eskom and not the metro council. The people claim the security officers took away their personal belongings, blankets, shoes and mattresses during yesterday’s raid.
One of the people, Raymond March, said he had been living in the area for more than five years. March said he does “piece jobs” in the area. The metro council expected them to vacate the area but was not offering any alternative accommodation, he said.
“Where do they expect us to find alternative accommodation?”. March said they were given until tomorrow to vacate the land. “We do not know what is going to happen when they arrive,” he said.
Evelyn Mahlangu, who is originally from KwaNdebele, said she used to have a permanent job in the area and travelled home every day. “But I could no longer do that after I lost my job. I then decided to come and live here,” she said. She also does “piece jobs” in the area.
Attorney Louise du Plessis, who is representing the homeless people, said they intend approaching the Pretoria High Court tomorrow to obtain an interdict against the council. Du Plessis said they interviewed the people yesterday and it was hoped that they would sign the affidavits today.
She said they have previously informed the metro council that they could not evict the people without a court order. Metro police spokesman Mel Vosloo said they had conducted an operation “to clean up the area” yesterday.
Vosloo said they cleared the area of vagrants, after the metro police received complaints from one of the residents in the area. - Pretoria News