"They were given notice that today [Tuesday] is D-Day and they will be forcefully removed if they don't go," said Mabanga.
Gauteng housing department spokesperson Mongezi Mnyani said the relocation had become "politicised" with rumours that some local politicians had mobilised residents to oppose the relocation.
He said as part of government's programme to eradicate informal settlements, about 1 114 "formal" houses had been built in the Albert Luthuli settlement, of which 167 had been allocated to residents of Thamboville.He said there would be an average of five people per household.
According to Mabanga, when the Red Ants, metro police, police and housing officials arrived early on Tuesday, about 800 people blocked the main street to the settlement "chanting revolutionary songs".The angry residents were told their gathering was illegal and they were given 15 minutes to disperse. When that time was up and they had still not left, police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd who started throwing stones at police, Red Ants and housing officials.
Eighteen people were injured during the shooting, and were taken by ambulance to separate hospitals. M&G
Gauteng housing department spokesperson Mongezi Mnyani said the relocation had become "politicised" with rumours that some local politicians had mobilised residents to oppose the relocation.
He said as part of government's programme to eradicate informal settlements, about 1 114 "formal" houses had been built in the Albert Luthuli settlement, of which 167 had been allocated to residents of Thamboville.He said there would be an average of five people per household.
According to Mabanga, when the Red Ants, metro police, police and housing officials arrived early on Tuesday, about 800 people blocked the main street to the settlement "chanting revolutionary songs".The angry residents were told their gathering was illegal and they were given 15 minutes to disperse. When that time was up and they had still not left, police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd who started throwing stones at police, Red Ants and housing officials.
Eighteen people were injured during the shooting, and were taken by ambulance to separate hospitals. M&G
1 comment:
This makes me wonder...People don't want to move out of their shacks and into 'formal' houses. What does this say about these 'houses'? Perhaps more to the point, is the government building houses for the benefit of the poeple, or for the benefit of the housing contractors...?
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