Pretoria - Illegal shack dwellers of Pienaarspoort were on Wednesday ambushed by the Red Ants and forced to flee their make shift homes during a mass eviction.
The men, clad in their signature red overalls and helmets, came out in full force with an army of 18 trucks while they destroyed everything in their way.
The vacant land, also known as Plot 44, was home to about 3 000 people before they were forcefully removed. This was the second eviction in two weeks. Last week metro police and the SAPS were forced to retreat after the dwellers outnumbered them. The Red Ants were hired to assist the police officders, the SAPS and Metro Police.
Residents who illegally occupied the vacant land, believed to be owned by Old Mutual, fled in fury while hurling stones and petrol bombs at eviction unit.
Some residents wept as they watched their valuables being destroyed.
Others armed with sticks, spades and iron rods went on a rampage while their belongings were shredded into pieces.
They watched from across the field as the Red Ants went from shack to shack destroying their belongings. Items included beds, couches, wardrobes and clothes.
Residents burnt waste and debris in the road, stopping vehicles as they demanded the unit halt the demolition. Trouble began two weeks ago when dwellers, believed to be from different parts of Mamelodi, erected their shacks on the vacant land.
Some claimed they had started applying for RDP house since 1996 but were still on the waiting list.
Residents vowed to stay on the land and build homes on it since it was empty and they had no accommodation.
They were adamant that they would not going anywhere.
Previously, Martin Matlala, a representative of the residents, said they had been fighting for the place since 2008 and have held several meetings with the city’s member of the mayoral committee of housing, which has yielded very little.
He vowed that they would continue to occupy the land despite the numerous evictions.
“The Tshwane metro calls us land invaders, but we are South African residents looking for a place to stay with our children.
“We are tired of staying with our parents and renting places,” said Matlala.
The community invaded the plot last year on January 17, heeding the EFF’s initial calls for land grabs.
Their victory was short-lived as the city’s metro police caught wind of the land grab and demolished at least 100 shacks a few hours after they had been erected.
Pretoria News