Last week Wednesday the sheriff of the court, this time with reinforcements, carried out his furniture and finally evicted Tom. The house was sealed and locked so that no one could enter it. Residents in the area who had gathered said this time they could not come to his aid as the sheriff arrived with the police and simply said that he is carrying out a court order.
Community leader Langa Kholisile Langa still believes that the municipality should come to the aid of the inhabitants and bene-ficiaries of the Power Construction RDP houses that he says is registered in the wrong names.
Langa says that council's housing department is telling the affected parties that the municipality can not assist as the properties have been transferred onto the names of the recipients as reflected in the title deeds. "They say that it is a private matter and can only be sorted out in court."
A councillor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that this is a very tricky situation. "If you legally sort out one house it will have a ripple effect and you will have lots of court cases on your hands. It is like a pack of cards; if one falls they will all fall."
Late in the afternoon Tom was visibly concerned as he had nowhere to go with his family and furniture. "I am waiting for Langa to come back. He has gone to the municipality and the court to help me."
Nomfundo Mbutho, a neighbour, said she believes that Tom has cut the lock and is back in the house.
Percy Knight, a director of Power Developments, said that they are only aware of one unresolved matter. "The files on this project that was completed 17 years ago are closed and even the conveyancer doesn't have any records."
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Neighbours Nomfundo Mbutho and Ntombi Mnyemena are upset after reading the documentation that removed Melton Tom from his house.
ARTICLE: MYRON RABINOWITZ, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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