The Gauteng MMC for Housing met with hundreds of invaders who were forcefully removed from a private land, Plot 323, Wilgespruit, by the Red Ants on 29 August.
The meeting between the government officials, community members and leaders took place on 3 September.
The MMC Dan Bovu briefly told the community that they are working on the issue and urged them not to politicise the whole situation or even to promote the issue of racism in this matter.
Bovu promised to get back to the community with the results on the 13 September.
“We will work on this until we find a solution,” said Bovu.
Ward 70 DA councillor David Dewes was the first to speak before Bovu arrived.
He said, “We are together in this matter and we are going to make sure that there are no snakes pushing personal agendas, by using the vulnerable residents. I’m here facing you today and there’s nothing I am scared of because I know what I am talking about.”
The crowd shouted, “This is our land, it belongs to us, we are going to fight to an end and we are going to win the battle.”
The invaders have temporarily gone back to their previous Plot 16 until government comes up with a solution.
In our last reports, the Wilgespruit plots community leader, who is also the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco’s) representative for housing, Gafaone Baesi said on 29 August that they were not fighting, all they need is a decent place to stay.
He said the problem has been there for a long time and they have tried talking to the Housing MMC about it.
Anna and Andries van der Walt said the land from which the invaders were evicted, belonged to them.
Anna said the whole movement started in January this year with the people holding endless meetings.
“We reported to the officials early but they never took us serious,” Anna said.
She said, on 29 August, that she was passing nearby the land when she noticed people erecting shacks at about 7am, on their private land without any arrangements or warning.
Ward 97 Councillor Jaco Engelbrecht said since the MMC promised to work on finding a solution for the invaders, they are looking forward to it.
Related stories:
GALLERY: Removed invaders have nowhere to go
Red Ants remove illegal invaders in Wilgespruit
