Update

GEORGE NEWS - Residents of an illegal settlement in Touwsranten have been left destitute and homeless after hundreds of illegal structures were demolished by the Red Ants on Tuesday 2 August.

The demolition was done in accordance with an eviction order and was executed by the Sheriff of the Court, assisted by the public order police (Pops), municipal traffic officials and law enforcement officials.

"George Municipality has as landowner addressed the illegal land invasion of Erf 125/1, a portion of land which is located outside the urban edge of Touwsranten," said the municipality's communications manager, Chantèl Edwards.

"The illegal occupation of this portion of land took place in September 2020. An interdict was issued by the court and was served on the illegal occupants in November 2021, giving 90 calendar days to vacate the property."

The property is an environmentally sensitive area that falls within the SANParks buffer area and the illegal settlement encroached on water courses, critical biodiversity areas and on ecological support areas. It is not earmarked for future housing developments.

Residents tried to salvage what they could.

Concerns voiced

Although many of our readers congratulated the effort, there are those who voiced their concern about mothers with young children and babies, the elderly and disabled who now have no shelter in the middle of winter.

One such person is a community leader from the area, Simon Mtshotana.

According to Mtshotana, the squatters received the eviction notice in February this year and not November 2021. "They received the letter, but it was basically impossible for them to move as they didn't know where to go.

"It wasn't going to be a problem if they were told where to go or if an alternative piece of land was given to them to build on," he said.

A resident from the squatter camp, a mother with a baby, told George Herald the Red Ants came on Tuesday while many people were still at work.

"They told us to evacuate our homes and take out all our belongings as they were going to break the structures down. When we asked them where we were supposed to go, they simply told us that it wasn't their problem - they came to demolish and that's what they were going to do.

"I had to put my three-month-old baby on my back and move all my things," she said.

The mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, is still sleeping outside, and with help from other homeless residents, they build a fire every night to try and keep warm. "We don't know where to go or what to do. My baby is getting sick, but I can't do anything about it. I have nowhere to go."

Some of the residents who work on farms and elsewhere in the area, have found structures to rent in a nearby informal settlement, but according to Mtshotana, about 50% are still without a roof over their heads. 

"Many of them rely on grants and can't afford to rent, so there really is no alternative for them. Some of their houseware and furniture were either destroyed during the demolition or by the rain and there has been no assistance from authorities," he said.

Hundreds of structures were broken down.

Assistance from municipality

According to Edwards, George Municipality adhered strictly to the court order, which did not require alternative accommodation to be identified. "As previously indicated, the land is not suitable for, or identified, for future housing," she said.

She said no goods were removed by the Sheriff or agent, only by the evictees themselves.

The evictees were given the option to break down and remove all materials and goods themselves, before the structures were dismantled.

"As per the court order, the unlawful occupiers have been given an opportunity to either check their registration on the housing database, or to register, should they qualify.

"Municipal officials from the human settlements division were on hand to assist with such registration," she said.

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