Despite reports alleging that the Red Ants acted on a court order by the City of Johannesburg to demolish 80 houses in Alexandra, Mayor Herman Mashaba said the deed did not have his political directive.
As a result, Mashaba apologised to the affected residents on 3 June during his visit to Alexandra and revealed that he would initiate an investigation on the demolition. The Red Ants demolished 80 illegal structures built next to the Gautrain rail bridge adjacent to the Marlboro Station on 31 May.
A number of people were allegedly shot by rubber bullets during the ordeal.
Mashaba was accompanied by the MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun, Chief of Metro Police David Tembe and the Speaker of Council Vasco da Gama when he addressed the distressed residents who were left homeless since the incident. “I want to apologise profoundly for what happened. It did not have my political directive or the support of our multi-party government,” he said.
When Mashaba was questioned about an alleged court order dated 2016, he said it could not have been his administration that applied for it. “What happened was illegal. If there was someone in the municipality that had initiated this, I will flush them out of the system.”
Mashaba denied having any knowledge of the demolition. He also revealed that Sun’s office had no knowledge of it. “My concerns that the processes were flouted have been confirmed. Residents of the area were able to demonstrate to me how the demolition fell short of the legal obligations of the City of Johannesburg,” he said.
He added that he had written to the City manager, Dr. Ndivho Lukhwareni to initiate an independent investigation of the processes leading to the eviction.
“This investigation must determine where the orders were given and how the processes followed were either compliant or departed from the standard operating procedures of the JMPD. At the end of the day, there must be accountability when government acts in a manner that is inconsistent with the law,” he added.
Mashaba promised to provide the residents with temporary shelter while the municipality put measures in place to rebuild the demolished houses.
EFF provincial secretary Moshe Koma, who claimed that he was also shot at four times on the day, said those responsible for the demolition must be held accountable. “We are in no marriage with anyone but our people. We have reported the matter to the Human Rights Commission and we are also going to write to the Public Protector,” said Koma.
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