POLOKWANE – ANGRY residents from Disteneng continue to ignore the Polokwane Municipality’s call to be relocated to Extension 106.
Frans Thobejane said he was recently left stranded and his goods scattered after the municipality demolished his shack without informing him.
“I came here 15 years ago to look for a job and I managed to build a little shack where my family can live. But today the municipality tells me I must leave this place with immediate effect,” said Thobejane.
Dennis Leshabane said the municipality told him to demolish his shack and leave the area with immediate effect.
“I came here in 2008 because I couldn’t afford to rent anywhere in town or in the extensions. I’m struggling to get a decent job. We are South Africans and I don’t think it is fair for the municipality to demolish our shacks as we don’t know where to go,” said Leshabane.
Municipal spokes-person, Tidimalo Chuene, said municipality officials went door to door in Disteneng to verify if occupants of the shacks were the legitimate owners.
“The above is verified against a list and the outcome determines the type of marking of the shack: ext 106 means that a person is relocated to that extension, ext 78 means a person will be re-settled at that extension, OA means the owner is or was not available at the time of the visit, a question mark and X means that it is not clear even from neighbours who the occupant is,” Chuene said.
She said some shack owners rented out their shacks.
“We suspect that these are the people who protested and made attempts to disturb the success of the project.
“The protesters damaged shacks of the community leaders who are involved in the project, but the police have made several arrests.
“A group of people attempted to obtain a restraining order against the municipality to stop the relocation,” she said.
VIDEO: Dwellers left stranded as Polokwane Municipality demolish their shacks
