Michael Sakuneka

Michael Sakuneka

Some of the 20 squatters living on the banks of the Letaba River in Tzaneen have defied the municipality's eviction order and started rebuilding their shacks on the same spot.

The Tzaneen municipality tore down their shacks on Monday after they defied a court interdict that was served on them last week.

Their shacks were destroyed by the Green Scorpions accompanied by police.

Their shacks were demolished after the municipality launched an initiative to clean the banks and water of the Letaba River, apparently in order to turn the area into a recreational park.

The first step will be to clean up the river and the water in the river before any other developments can take place.

Tzaneen municipality housing unit head Handswell Phakula said the municipality would find another way of dealing with the squatters .

"We will also consider asking the police to arrest the squatters who have defied an eviction order by rebuilding their shacks," he said.

The municipality also plans to reintroduce species of fish into the river that have become extinct owing to pollution.