A BLAME game has erupted between land invaders in Malemaville, Nellmapius, Pretoria east, and the Tshwane municipality.
The parties have accused each other of being responsible for the torching of shacks that were erected on the land which was invaded three weeks ago.
Yesterday, 14 people stood near a fire drying themselves after spending the night in the rain. A three-legged pot with some meat, ashes from wood including furniture, steel poles, pieces of corrugated iron, charred clothing and shoes were also visible.
Other items were scattered over what used to be 93 shacks that had been erected before the municipal metro police and a security company commonly known as "red ants" allegedly set them alight on Monday afternoon.
The invaders vowed to continue occupying the land despite the municipality's actions. They also accused the metro police and the security company of stealing their valuables, including ID books, drivers licenses and cash.
They claimed that they had spent the nights in two shacks made from remnants of their belongings. The men occupied one while women and children slept in the other.
Others slept in their vehicles, but municipal spokesman Blessing Manale denied the metro police and red ants had set the shacks on fire.
Manale said some of the invaders were on the waiting list for RDP houses. He said the issue has been politicised by "rented" members of the EFF.
"They burnt their own shacks. We do not burn things when we remove people. We cannot have them there.
"What they are doing is illegal. We have a court order against them. There is a development package that includes building low cost housing on the land," he said.
Kenny Morako showed Sowetan two wounds around his waist and claimed they were inflicted by rubber bullets fired by metro police. He also claimed that his clothes, ID book, two beds and other belongings were set alight by the red ants in his presence.
"My wife and two sons have since moved in with relatives in Nellmapius. I remain here because I have nowhere to go. We are not committing any offence but only occupying our land," he said.
Eddie Mothiba blamed the municipality for failing to provide them with land "yet they wasted R65-million on a failed music concert where hip hop star Nicki Minaj was billed to perform and they blew millions on takeaways".
"My medicine, my toddler's napkins, hospital card, furniture and clothes were set alight. I have never seen such brutality even during the apartheid era," Mothiba said.
Nellmapius EFF branch chairman, Vusi Msiza, said the party was disappointed by the way the municipality had treated the land invaders.
"We will try our level best to assist them. Last night I gave them my car to sleep in as some did not have a place to sleep. We have also organised them food. If they want to continue occupying the land we will assist them until they obtain it. We are supporting them all the way," he said.
ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Blame game in Malemaville - 'It's worse than apartheid'
A BLAME game has erupted between land invaders in Malemaville, Nellmapius, Pretoria east, and the Tshwane municipality.
The parties have accused each other of being responsible for the torching of shacks that were erected on the land which was invaded three weeks ago.
Yesterday, 14 people stood near a fire drying themselves after spending the night in the rain. A three-legged pot with some meat, ashes from wood including furniture, steel poles, pieces of corrugated iron, charred clothing and shoes were also visible.
Other items were scattered over what used to be 93 shacks that had been erected before the municipal metro police and a security company commonly known as "red ants" allegedly set them alight on Monday afternoon.
The invaders vowed to continue occupying the land despite the municipality's actions. They also accused the metro police and the security company of stealing their valuables, including ID books, drivers licenses and cash.
They claimed that they had spent the nights in two shacks made from remnants of their belongings. The men occupied one while women and children slept in the other.
Others slept in their vehicles, but municipal spokesman Blessing Manale denied the metro police and red ants had set the shacks on fire.
Manale said some of the invaders were on the waiting list for RDP houses. He said the issue has been politicised by "rented" members of the EFF.
"They burnt their own shacks. We do not burn things when we remove people. We cannot have them there.
"What they are doing is illegal. We have a court order against them. There is a development package that includes building low cost housing on the land," he said.
Kenny Morako showed Sowetan two wounds around his waist and claimed they were inflicted by rubber bullets fired by metro police. He also claimed that his clothes, ID book, two beds and other belongings were set alight by the red ants in his presence.
"My wife and two sons have since moved in with relatives in Nellmapius. I remain here because I have nowhere to go. We are not committing any offence but only occupying our land," he said.
Eddie Mothiba blamed the municipality for failing to provide them with land "yet they wasted R65-million on a failed music concert where hip hop star Nicki Minaj was billed to perform and they blew millions on takeaways".
"My medicine, my toddler's napkins, hospital card, furniture and clothes were set alight. I have never seen such brutality even during the apartheid era," Mothiba said.
Nellmapius EFF branch chairman, Vusi Msiza, said the party was disappointed by the way the municipality had treated the land invaders.
"We will try our level best to assist them. Last night I gave them my car to sleep in as some did not have a place to sleep. We have also organised them food. If they want to continue occupying the land we will assist them until they obtain it. We are supporting them all the way," he said.
ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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