According to Rose Johnson of the Field and Study Park, Metro police allegedly confiscated the people’s belongings such as blankets, clothes, papers and cooking pots. She was told the police put the items together and set them alight. The police apparently returned to the area again to conduct a raid and burned what was left.
“They created a bonfire and set their clothes alight, which set the bank alight too,” said Johnson. She was concerned about the squatters as they had no blankets or clothes to keep warm.
Ward 103 councillor, Vincent Earp was shocked that Metro police burned people’s possessions.
“It is unbelievable in today’s age we can do such things,” said Earp.
Spokesperson for the Metro police, Wayne Minnaar said it was not the policy of Metro officers to burn people’s possessions.
When asked about the causes of such fires on these particular raids, Minnaar said often these settlements used paraffin stoves to cook and keep warm.
“During the raid, the operation starts by removing instruments used to create flames,” he said. “As the instruments are demolished, a fire sometimes starts. Because the squatters’ possessions are made from easily combustible materials, such as plastic and linen, they burn easily.”
One of the squatters, Paseka Mofolo said he felt a lot of pain when he thought about the Metro police raiding his home.
He explained that many of the squatters came from Lesotho and settled in that area because they could not speak English.
Many of them worked in construction. “Sometimes they work for one month, other times its three months,” said Mofolo.
“We don’t get a good salary and can’t find a home or room to rent. We have to stay here.”
When asked why they did not relocate to government shelters, Mofolo said he had never been given the option.
He said he found clothes and blankets in the dustbin, and survived off piece jobs the community gave him.
