“The Red Ants allegedly demolished houses and shacks and some furniture was also damaged during the forceful removal. Children came back from their first day of school only to find their homes demolished.
According to resident *Montsheng Mokoena, she along with others have lived on the plot for decades. “I have lived here from 1997 and at first we had been paying rent to a young lady who claimed that the plot belonged to her mother. The lady then cut off our electricity this one year and we stopped paying rent.”
Mokoena says that for the past few years residents have been living on the plot without paying any rent. “It is hard to believe that we are being forcefully removed from this place that our children call home. Soon after we formed a committee we were told that the plot sold but we never really believed it. We received eviction letters but we were never told who the real owners were.”
Residents said that they would not be taking the matter of their eviction lying down. “We have so many questions that need to be answered. We have papers that prove that the plot belongs to us.”
The residents have since been moved to Tshepiso Phase 5, Sharpeville, while others chose to go to other areas. Speaking to another publication, Red Ants spokesman Selby Don said the eviction had been changed into a relocation. “The shack dwellers were moved to Phase 5 in Tshepiso and had their shacks rebuilt.
“The process was a smooth one and no casualties were reported on the day.”
* Not her real name.
