Category Archives: evictions

Brutal Attack on the Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa

30 July 2018
Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation Press Statement

Brutal Attack on the Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa

The Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa on the East Rand was founded on 13 February 2018. It has been coming under sustained, illegal and often violent attack from the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD). Shacks and people’s possessions have been repeatedly burnt.

We have taken the EMPD a lawyer’s letter informing them that their actions are illegal but it has made no difference. They returned today, at around 10:00, and stayed until 12:50. They burned 266 shacks and assaulted almost everyone. They used tear gas and rubber bullets. They even chased elderly people and pregnant women. Many of us are injured. One person has been very badly assaulted. They undressed him and then started beating him up.They burnt all our belonging including mattresses, clothes and children’s stuff for school.

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Illegal Attacks on the Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa

Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation

Friday, 6 July 201

Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation Press Statement

Illegal Attacks on the Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa

On 13 February 2018 a large tract of empty land was occupied in Tembisa, on the East Rand. During apartheid the land was used by the army. Since then it has remained unused. There were more than 700 occupiers and they were members of various organisations and came from a number of areas including Jiyane, Vusimuzi, Sivana, Welamulambo, Mgantsa and Thafani Section. Some had been renting shacks and others were living with their parents or grandparents in four room township houses. Sometimes there are ten or even fourteen people living in these four room houses. Young people need a place of their own to raise their children. Continue reading

Four-year-old child dies in Ekuphumeleleni, death threats continue

27 June 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Four-year-old child dies in Ekuphumeleleni, death threats continue

A four-year-old boy was tragically killed by electrocution on Monday in our Ekuphumeleleni branch. Khanyisani Dlamini was playing with his friends when he slipped and fell on a live electric wire. He died on the scene.

The community in Ekuphumeleleni occupied vacant RDP houses after there was gross corruption in the allocation process. The community took this decision after all attempts to address the blatant corruption in the allocation failed. After the occupation the Municipality refused to allow services to be provided so it was decided to make self-organised connections to water and electricity. The Municipality tried to evict the community but the movement was able to prevent the eviction.  Continue reading

Court allows Durban evictees to return to their homes

GroundUp

Lamontville Transit Camp residents were evicted on Friday by the City of eThekwini

Photo of Lamontville shack

Residents of Lamontville Transit Camp were evicted by the City of eThekwini’s Security Management Unit and the Department of Human Settlements, in Lamontville South of Durban on Friday. The Durban High Court allowed them to return in a court ruling on Monday. Photo: Rethabile Phakisi for New Frame  Continue reading

Abahlali to Approach the Durban High Court for a Spoliation Order

Monday, 18 June 2018

Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement

Abahlali to Approach the Durban High Court for a Spoliation Order

“We are all amaMpondo!”

Abahlali baseMjondolo will this morning approach the Durban High Court on an urgent basis to apply for a Spoliation Order against the eThekwini Municipality. On Friday at about 10am the notorious eThekwini municipal Anti Land Invasion Unit descended on the Barcelona 2 ‘transit camp’ (amatini or government shacks) in Lamontville and violently and unlawfully evicted the residents from the disgraceful ‘transit camps’ that there were forcefully imposed on them seven years ago for the FIFA World Cup. Continue reading