Zandspruit residents have vowed to fight the City of Johannesburg with all they have as a result of the recent eviction that took place at Mbhele Section of the settlement.
More than 300 people were left homeless as their shacks were demolished by red ants in an eviction operation that was executed this morning.
An army of Red Ants demolished more than 55 shacks.
Residents watched hopelessly as their shacks were destroyed.
“They didn’t even give us time to pack our furniture properly,” sobbed an emotional Pride Chauke, who alleged they were ill-treated by the Red Ants.
“I’ve worked so hard to have these things and now they are just destroyed them like nothing.”
Chauke is one of the many people in the settlement who lost some of their furniture during the eviction.
It is understood that the residents had allegedly occupied a piece of private land illegally more than six months ago.
Talks of protest action were already in place and residents agreed to meet later today to discuss on a way to go about the protest.
“No law enforcement officer will be allowed into Zandspruit, we will occupy this land by force,” a furious Mbali Mtshali said.
Democratic Alliance (DA) community leader, Tobby Dubuzane alleged that no proper process was followed to evict the residents.
“There was no eviction notice handed to the residents,” she said.
Lufuno Gogoro, a representative of the Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF), said he found it unfortunate that in less than three months after the general elections, people were evicted from their homes.
“This is brutality at it’s best. Why wait till winter to evict the people and on top of it, wait for the coldest day?”
Gogoro alleged that the city failed to provide residents with proper housing.
“The people took it upon themselves with adequate housing, now the city comes and demolishes the small comfort that people have created for their families.”
Gogoro said as EFF, they will help intensify the protest action residents are planning to take.
“We will give our support with anything they need.”
A distraught single mother of four children, Mpho Bapela said she lost everything as she couldn’t pack any of her furniture.
She alleged that she was not given a chance to pack her belongings.
“I don’t know what is going to happen to me and my children.”
Adding to the belongings she lost during the eviction, she said she was heart broken because they confiscated the building material she used to erect her shack.
“I spent R2 900 on that material, now they took it. It went down the drain, just like that.”
Hundreds of Metro Police officers were deployed to the settlement and spokesperson Wayne Minaar said their officers were deployed to ensure the safety of the community members and those of motorists driving on Beyers Naudé Drive.
Ward Councillor of the settlement Maureen Scheenman could not be reached for comment.
There were also controversial evictions at formal Honeydew settlements on Tuesday as well.
