Backyard dwellers tired of renting
Daveyton - On Wednesday, backyard dwellers of Daveyton sought to erect shacks in the Kuzimesele VD Section in Daveyton, after claiming that the land in the area is meant for their houses.
Residents threatened that nothing would stop them from erecting their shacks today, not even the EMPD or SAPS, because they would rather die than go back to being backyard dwellers.
This follows an attempt to erect shacks a few weeks ago, when they were dispersed by the EMPD because they were illegally occupying the land.
Community leader Happy Cindi (52), says residents are tired of renting and only when they take action will they only be taken seriously, explaining that the open land was clear and they followed the correct procedures in order for them to put up their shelter.
“We did nothing wrong, all we want is houses like we were promised, we have been waiting for far too long now,” says Cindi.
Resident Mzwandile Fakude (29), says that there are some senior citizens that have been waiting for RDP houses for years and nothing has been done to accommodate them.
“Our dignity is violated as people, having to fight for land in order to put up our shacks is not why we put our current leaders in power,” says Fakude.
EMM Spokesperson Themba Gadebe says the municipality is a aware of the persisting problem of housing in the area, which they will soon address but the municipality doesn’t encourage illegal occupying of land and residents should refrain from unlawful occupying of land.
