4 December 2015
R1-20/FREE
11 - 12 - 2015
EFF vows to erect
shacks in CBD Justin Steyn
The EFF at Bela-Bela says that they will erect as many as 50 shacks on a piece of land across from the Municipality this December. The land in question is owned by Forever Resorts. According to party coordinator Neo Moloko, their plans are due to Extension 8 residents being evicted by the Red Ants in June this year. Moloko says that the EFF plans to erect shacks to accommodate some of those who were left homeless due to that incident on the piece of land situated in
Robbertson Road between the Pendleberry resort and the municipal offices. “Since these evictions, no provision has been made for these people, and only ANC supporters are now living there,” he said. The EFF’s convener, Sello Mosweu, said that the party wants to make Mayor Lucas Nhlapo aware of “the problems that he has made for these people,” as Mosweu puts it. “Lucas Nhlapo only cares about SAFA and not about the interests of the people, especially those he has evicted. We want him to sit and look at these people while they squat on the grounds near his office window,” he said.
The EFF at Bela-Bela said that it will erect as many as 50 shacks to accommodate those who were evicted from their homes in extension 8 earlier this year. However, the land itself belongs to the adjacent Forever Resorts who said that no squatting would be tolerated Photo: Justin Steyn
The land, however, is the property of the adjacent Forever Resorts, whose management expressed their surprise at the EFF’s intentions. “This is private property that has been designated for future development of our resort, and we will not tolerate any form of trespassing on our land,” said Kobus Tait, Managing Director of Forever Resorts. He said that they plan to monitor the situation carefully and take all necessary action to protect their property as well as to ensure the safety of their customers and staff. The Bela-Bela municipal spokesperson, Matome Sebelebele, said that the evictions
were implemented as a result of illegal squatting. He added that the municipality also cannot condone the planned occupation as the land is privately owned. “The land from which these people were evicted is intended for development purposes. We will also intervene in this case as the land in question is privately owned,” he said. Sebelebele has warned that although they cannot intervene in the situation as it currently stands, the municipality would not hesitate to protect residents if a falling-out were to occur between them and the squatters.