Residents of Cape Town townships have invaded land which is used to conduct initiation rites.
Residents and backyard dwellers of TR informal settlement in Khayelitsha occupied the land near Nolungile station while others invaded the land between Khayelitsha and arms manufacturing company Denel. On Tuesday the company obtained a court order preventing people from further invasions on the site.
Ricardo Mayekiso, a resident at C-Section in Khayelitsha, said the land occupied by residents was for initiation purposes. "Where will the initiates [abakhwetha] go for initiation? They will not have a place to do so."
Near Nolungile station yesterday, about 40 police and city law enforcement officers guarded the site and discouraged residents from building new structures.
About 30 residents, under the leadership of EFF, brandished sticks and sang freedom songs. They were joined by scores of other people.
Residents said that on Tuesday the police destroyed their structures by mistake because they were erected prior to the occupation of the land.
At the site between Khayelitsha and Denel, scores of people were also erecting structures while others were marking plots.
One of the land occupiers, Linganiso Ntshaba, said they decided to occupy the land after the government's failure to build houses for them.
Ntshaba, who stays at TR informal settlement, said they also could not afford monthly rentals of R350, R800 or R1000. "We are tired of empty promises," he said.
He said other land near Khayelitsha cemetery should be earmarked for initiates.
Denel spokeswoman Vuyelwa Qinga confirmed that they were granted a court order by the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday. The order disallowed people from entering, commencing or making further invasions in the area. An application for an eviction order would be heard today or Friday.
Mayoral committee member for human settlements Benedicta van Minnen urged residents "not to be duped by organisations who claim to have their best interests at heart, while in reality they are actually driving a political or financial agenda".
Land invaders occupy initiation land
Residents of Cape Town townships have invaded land which is used to conduct initiation rites.
Residents and backyard dwellers of TR informal settlement in Khayelitsha occupied the land near Nolungile station while others invaded the land between Khayelitsha and arms manufacturing company Denel. On Tuesday the company obtained a court order preventing people from further invasions on the site.
Ricardo Mayekiso, a resident at C-Section in Khayelitsha, said the land occupied by residents was for initiation purposes. "Where will the initiates [abakhwetha] go for initiation? They will not have a place to do so."
Near Nolungile station yesterday, about 40 police and city law enforcement officers guarded the site and discouraged residents from building new structures.
About 30 residents, under the leadership of EFF, brandished sticks and sang freedom songs. They were joined by scores of other people.
Residents said that on Tuesday the police destroyed their structures by mistake because they were erected prior to the occupation of the land.
At the site between Khayelitsha and Denel, scores of people were also erecting structures while others were marking plots.
One of the land occupiers, Linganiso Ntshaba, said they decided to occupy the land after the government's failure to build houses for them.
Ntshaba, who stays at TR informal settlement, said they also could not afford monthly rentals of R350, R800 or R1000. "We are tired of empty promises," he said.
He said other land near Khayelitsha cemetery should be earmarked for initiates.
Denel spokeswoman Vuyelwa Qinga confirmed that they were granted a court order by the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday. The order disallowed people from entering, commencing or making further invasions in the area. An application for an eviction order would be heard today or Friday.
Mayoral committee member for human settlements Benedicta van Minnen urged residents "not to be duped by organisations who claim to have their best interests at heart, while in reality they are actually driving a political or financial agenda".
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