PICS: Residents of Fattis Mansion moved to camp
JOBURG – Hundreds of illegal squatters that were evicted from the Fattis Mansion were moved from the streets surrounding the building on 19 July to a tented camp.
City officials and Metro officers moved into the area on 21 July to start moving all the furniture, clothing and assorted belongings that had blocked up the entire street for a whole city block.
This after the residents of the hijacked Fattis Mansions in Loveday Street were evicted.
Read: UPDATE: Illegal squatters moved to Wembley Stadium
Officials certainly had their hands full as they used a small bulldozer to scoop up belongings into the huge trucks that were waiting. At least 50 Metro officers wearing surgical gloves and face masks were scouring the area and helping to load up everything from chairs and dishwashers to clothing and kitchen sinks.
Irene Mafune, regional director of Region F said, “They are going to be allocated temporary accommodation, the housing department is busy ensuring where these guys will be moving to,” she said.
Mafune added that tents were currently being put up near the Wembly Stadium and that the people would be transported from the street outside Fattis Mansion to the camp with their belongings.
“Once the street is cleared of all their materials and the residents’ belongings, we will clean the streets and then we will open the streets and motorists will be able to utilise them again,” Mafune added.
She said the city would continue to engage with the affected residents on issues of alternative accommodation.
City Buzz spoke to a few residents, who did not want to be named, who said they were not very happy about being moved to the tented camp. They claim they are scared of being put in a camp with the ‘tsotsis‘ from Cape York, who are being housed at the same facility.
A woman carrying a plastic bag that contained the only possessions of hers that she could find, just stood there shaking her head and saying, “It’s not fair, I can’t find my things, this is all I have left. After so many years, this is all I have left.”
She told City Buzz that she would not be going to the camp but did not know where she would go. She then turned and walked off into the crowd without another word.
Read: Illegal squatters forced to spend night on the streets
