Angry members of the Ekurhuleni Service Delivery Forum (ESDF) met with Katlehong station commander, Brig Sammy Thambo, to raise a complaint about the alleged illegal evictions that is said to have taken place in Siluma View and Dikole Section in Katlehong. The meeting took place on May 31.
One of the leaders of the community, Joseph Mdluli, said a couple of houses were destroyed, including properties belonging to pensioners whose legal matters is still being addressed by the courts.
“We want Thambo to arrange a meeting with all stakeholders, including the sheriffs, deed office and the police who were involved in the evictions so that we can table our grievances. We also want to know why elderly people should suffer this kind of pain in the presence of the police,” he said.
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He also said proper consultations were not done, and so the evictions could not be justified. “So we want to make sure our feelings are made known since we believe the elderly people’s rights were infringed.”
Katlehong police communications officer Capt Mega Ndobe said Thambo has ordered the evictions to stop so as to allow for wider consultation with all the stakeholders, including the residents who were evicted from their homes.
“The station commander has agreed to have a meeting with the community but the date is yet to be set,” said Ndobe.
Community leaders have been advised to table a formal written complaint which the police would keep in a file for future purposes.
Ndobe said the police have a duty to protect all members of the community.