http://www.sundaytribune.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3945631

Ethekwini Municipality is set to defend a court action brought by the Crossmoor Shack Dwellers, preventing it from destroying or demolishing shacks and tents in Chatsworth.

This week the ANC and opposition parties were unanimous in their resolution that the municipality would do its utmost to eject shack dwellers who had invaded council land.

The decision was taken at a housing meeting on Monday.

Nigel Gumede, chairman of the housing committee, said the council’s failure to act pro-actively had now forced it to go to court.

“Because we did not act immediately shacks have mushroomed. Those shacks should have been demolished instantly. Now we have to ask the court to grant us permission to destroy the shacks,” Gumede said.

He said the shack dwellers’ invasion was not justifiable.

“According to their memorandum they have moved there over the past six months. They built their shacks long after the amnesty period (after 13 shacks were set up in August last year) so they are not justified to be in the area and have illegally taken over the land,” he said.

Gumede said the shack dwellers were from the Bottlebrush Settlement. When the owners of that land wanted them out, they had moved on to the road reserves and then to Crossmoor.

“These shack dwellers were also incited by an MF councillor, who told them to go to the ANC and ask ‘where is the better life you promised?’ That matter is also being dealt with,” Gumede said.

But the MF’s Jayraj Singh said Gumede’s comments were “absolutely balderdash”.

‘Balderdash’

“If he has any evidence he must take it to the Speaker’s office and the ombudsman. His allegations are baseless and he is now shifting the blame to other councillors.”

Cllr Minesh Maistry, a member of the housing committee, said the council would stand by the decision last year to not allow any further land invasion, except for the 13 shacks that were initially built.

“We will not allow people to prioritise themselves for housing while those who have been waiting patiently for many years are being deprived. People knew what they were doing when they invaded the land. Everybody must be treated equally. We would like to know, where were those people living before they moved to Crossmoor?” Maistry said.