Cape Town – Last week about 800 families were evicted from shacks in Lwandle in a bitter spell of winter weather. On Monday, in equally foul weather, they found no welcome from their new neighbours when they arrived at the Blackheath site earmarked for their new homes.
Residents of Gaylee gave the evictees a hostile reception, and after a tense stand-off the Lwandle residents were told to head back to Nomzamo Hall where they been camping, because their building materials were not on their way.
Gaylee residents stood in the rain opposite the Sanral-owned land to demonstrate their opposition to the arrival of their new neighbours. They said they had not been consulted about the relocation of the Lwandle evictees and refused to have “squatters” in their area.
When more than 15 minibus taxis arrived carrying a loud and aggressive crowd of Lwandle evictees armed with shovels, hammers and knobkieries, the demonstration became heated.
Shirley Isaacs of Blackheath said: “We come here peacefully with no sticks and hammers like barbarians.”
Isaacs said she feared crime would increase in Gaylee and local schools would be overcrowded.
“Our children will be coming out from school and using this road. Who knows what will happen to them, it won’t be safe for them at all. We don’t want these people here.”
Another resident, who wanted to be known only as Cathy, said it was not fair that Lwandle residents were allowed to live in Gaylee for free.
“We pay R4 000 bond payment, yet my husband is unemployed. Why is it okay that others can come in this community and not pay a cent? And this will also affect our property values.”
At lunchtime Ses’khona Peoples Movement representative Khaya Kama announced that the building materials would not be released…
South Africa Today – South Africa News
