Hundreds of families, whose houses were demolished by the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality at KwaRay near Mthatha on Wednesday, have started rebuilding their homes and vowed they were going nowhere.
On Wednesday night, many slept around fires, used roofing material from the demolished homes for shelter or slept among the rubble.
The demolition comes after the residents lost a Supreme Court of Appeal bid against the demolition of homes built on municipal land.
Only a few homes were saved, when a sheriff of the court arrived with a court order stopping demolitions as the matter has gone on appeal to the Constitutional Court.
One of the affected residents, Nonyameko Sillo, said they had nowhere to go after her house was flattened.
“So this was the only place we have and were forced to sleep in rubble under the roof and squeeze ourselves as the space is very small to cover the five of us,” said Sillo.
Her husband, Xolile Sillo, was yesterday busy building a shack close to where their home of bricks and mortar once stood.
Economic Freedom Fighters MP Fana Mokoena visited KwaRay informal settlement on Wednesday night and again yesterday morning.
“This is a sad situation, noting that these are the poorest of the poor. We will not rest until these people are treated as human beings and the matter addressed. I am taking the matter to parliament,” he said.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived yesterday people had already built shacks, but furniture and other goods were still outside.
Nothobile Qaqa said her daughter, Nomsa, was traumatised when she returned home from school on Wednesday to find their home reduced to dust and rubble. Yesterday she refused to go to school.
Attorney Haymie Zilwa of the SM Petse Incorporate, representing the 350 families, said he was instructed to take KSD to court for demolishing the shacks and others houses.
“The municipality is in contempt of court. There was court order interdicting the demolition, but they went ahead nevertheless.
“Also we had two weeks ago notified the municipality and their lawyer that we are taking the matter to the Constitutional Court and served them with papers to that effect.”
Zilwa said according to law, if an organ of state like the municipality is demolishing, it must at the same time provide alternative accommodation. “But in this case the KSD did not provide alternative accommodation or land,” said Zilwa.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza was adamant that the municipality acted legally in demolishing the houses. “The land is earmarked for housing development. The development was supposed to have happened early last year, but was delayed by this land invasion and the court bids,” said Mampoza.
Homeless families vow to stay put
On Wednesday night, many slept around fires, used roofing material from the demolished homes for shelter or slept among the rubble.
The demolition comes after the residents lost a Supreme Court of Appeal bid against the demolition of homes built on municipal land.
Only a few homes were saved, when a sheriff of the court arrived with a court order stopping demolitions as the matter has gone on appeal to the Constitutional Court.
One of the affected residents, Nonyameko Sillo, said they had nowhere to go after her house was flattened.
“So this was the only place we have and were forced to sleep in rubble under the roof and squeeze ourselves as the space is very small to cover the five of us,” said Sillo.
Her husband, Xolile Sillo, was yesterday busy building a shack close to where their home of bricks and mortar once stood.
Economic Freedom Fighters MP Fana Mokoena visited KwaRay informal settlement on Wednesday night and again yesterday morning.
“This is a sad situation, noting that these are the poorest of the poor. We will not rest until these people are treated as human beings and the matter addressed. I am taking the matter to parliament,” he said.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived yesterday people had already built shacks, but furniture and other goods were still outside.
Nothobile Qaqa said her daughter, Nomsa, was traumatised when she returned home from school on Wednesday to find their home reduced to dust and rubble. Yesterday she refused to go to school.
Attorney Haymie Zilwa of the SM Petse Incorporate, representing the 350 families, said he was instructed to take KSD to court for demolishing the shacks and others houses.
“The municipality is in contempt of court. There was court order interdicting the demolition, but they went ahead nevertheless.
“Also we had two weeks ago notified the municipality and their lawyer that we are taking the matter to the Constitutional Court and served them with papers to that effect.”
Zilwa said according to law, if an organ of state like the municipality is demolishing, it must at the same time provide alternative accommodation. “But in this case the KSD did not provide alternative accommodation or land,” said Zilwa.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza was adamant that the municipality acted legally in demolishing the houses. “The land is earmarked for housing development. The development was supposed to have happened early last year, but was delayed by this land invasion and the court bids,” said Mampoza.
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