SQUATTERS who had occupied a piece of municipal land illegally near Alexandra in northern Johannesburg, started rebuilding their shacks just hours after their structures were demolished by the city's police.
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) raided the shack land in Marlboro at about 3.30am and threw out an estimated 80 families - whom they claimed were trespassers - on to the streets.
The operation led to violent clashes that resulted in two squatters sustaining gunshot wounds, while a JMPD vehicle was set alight.
The squatters said chaos erupted after metro police officers, armed with crowbars, ordered them out of their shacks. The squatters refused to move because they said their eviction was illegal.
Squatter leader Michel Ndou said that some of the people had lived in the area for more than 11 years. He claimed they were given the go-ahead to return to the area by the Bramley police.
But the JMPD's Wayne Minnaar denied that the families had lived in the land for a long time. He warned them of follow-up eviction operations.
"We do not need an eviction order because these people occupied council land illegally. That amounts to trespassing. We will continue evicting them," he said.
Squatters rebuild shacks
SQUATTERS who had occupied a piece of municipal land illegally near Alexandra in northern Johannesburg, started rebuilding their shacks just hours after their structures were demolished by the city's police.
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) raided the shack land in Marlboro at about 3.30am and threw out an estimated 80 families - whom they claimed were trespassers - on to the streets.
The operation led to violent clashes that resulted in two squatters sustaining gunshot wounds, while a JMPD vehicle was set alight.
The squatters said chaos erupted after metro police officers, armed with crowbars, ordered them out of their shacks. The squatters refused to move because they said their eviction was illegal.
Squatter leader Michel Ndou said that some of the people had lived in the area for more than 11 years. He claimed they were given the go-ahead to return to the area by the Bramley police.
But the JMPD's Wayne Minnaar denied that the families had lived in the land for a long time. He warned them of follow-up eviction operations.
"We do not need an eviction order because these people occupied council land illegally. That amounts to trespassing. We will continue evicting them," he said.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos