Tensions are close to boiling point in the East Bank area following the illegal occupation of another 116 houses at the Vergenoeg housing project last week.
The actions infuriated beneficiaries on the waiting list, and yesterday angry protesters closed the Black Road demanding that Buffalo City Metro sort out the mess.
This is the second incident of house invasions this month after Fynbos residents from ward 8 illegally occupied a housing project’s 50 RDP houses under construction.
Tiny Vaaltyn’s house was illegally occupied by a family who refuse to move.
“We are the ones who have been approved, but people from Vergenoeg said those houses belong to them as they are built on their land. They said we must go back to Transkei and called us the K-word.”
Vaaltyn said they reported the matter to BCM.
“Our concern is that they will stay in those houses and think they own them. My house has been completed but now someone else lives in it.
“When I went to ask the family what they were doing in my house, they pulled out a bush knife and chased me with a pitbull terrier.”
The Dispatch was told by protesters who have already received their houses that a group of men went around terrorising the community on Friday evening. Two doors on Zona Ngalo’s house were vandalised.
“We have lived here since 1992 so they cannot say we do not belong here.
“They are making this out to be a racial issue.”
Community leader Antonio Murray said 116 houses have now been illegally occupied.
“We heard the councillor was selling these houses and we felt it was unfair on us.
“Then, as coloured people, we got together and decided to take these houses. This has always been a coloured community. We did not break anything.
“We just took the houses and changed the locks.”
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the municipality had opened a case with the police. The illegal invasion and vandalising of houses in wards 8 and 10 had robbed the legal beneficiaries of their new homes, he added. “In ward 10, 152 houses have been occupied illegally. The city has made numerous attempts to remove the occupants and has opened a case against them. The contractor has suspended work due to the tension in the area.”
East London police spokesperson Hazel Mqala said public order police used rubber bullets to disperse a group of protesters yesterday morning.
Three women, aged between 50 and 60, were arrested for public violence.
East Bank housing battle
Protests, tension as illegal house occupations take place in Vergenoeg
Image: Bhongo Jacob
Tensions are close to boiling point in the East Bank area following the illegal occupation of another 116 houses at the Vergenoeg housing project last week.
The actions infuriated beneficiaries on the waiting list, and yesterday angry protesters closed the Black Road demanding that Buffalo City Metro sort out the mess.
This is the second incident of house invasions this month after Fynbos residents from ward 8 illegally occupied a housing project’s 50 RDP houses under construction.
Tiny Vaaltyn’s house was illegally occupied by a family who refuse to move.
“We are the ones who have been approved, but people from Vergenoeg said those houses belong to them as they are built on their land. They said we must go back to Transkei and called us the K-word.”
Vaaltyn said they reported the matter to BCM.
“Our concern is that they will stay in those houses and think they own them. My house has been completed but now someone else lives in it.
“When I went to ask the family what they were doing in my house, they pulled out a bush knife and chased me with a pitbull terrier.”
The Dispatch was told by protesters who have already received their houses that a group of men went around terrorising the community on Friday evening. Two doors on Zona Ngalo’s house were vandalised.
“We have lived here since 1992 so they cannot say we do not belong here.
“They are making this out to be a racial issue.”
Community leader Antonio Murray said 116 houses have now been illegally occupied.
“We heard the councillor was selling these houses and we felt it was unfair on us.
“Then, as coloured people, we got together and decided to take these houses. This has always been a coloured community. We did not break anything.
“We just took the houses and changed the locks.”
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the municipality had opened a case with the police. The illegal invasion and vandalising of houses in wards 8 and 10 had robbed the legal beneficiaries of their new homes, he added. “In ward 10, 152 houses have been occupied illegally. The city has made numerous attempts to remove the occupants and has opened a case against them. The contractor has suspended work due to the tension in the area.”
East London police spokesperson Hazel Mqala said public order police used rubber bullets to disperse a group of protesters yesterday morning.
Three women, aged between 50 and 60, were arrested for public violence.
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