By Buziwe Nocuze
Khayelitsha residents in the SST section claim the area’s ward councillor forced them to demolish their shacks before they were given a new place to rebuild them.
About 28 families needed to be moved because they had built their homes on top of sewage pipes that needed to be fixed.
A resident speaking anonymously said that, since Saturday, they have been up and down trying to find places to sleep.
The resident said the councillor should’ve first sorted out the differences with all parties involved.
They thought they were being relocated to an open space in the Green Point area.
“We didn’t want to demolish without having a place to relocate, but our councillor forced us to demolish. But Green Point residents don’t want us in their area,” said the resident.
“Now we have to rebuild our shacks. Imagine the time we spent demolishing the shacks that we were going to rebuild again.”
Another resident said their building materials were now damaged.
“Some of us don’t have money to buy new material. The demolition and rebuilding are costing us and we still have to move,” said the resident.
“Our councillor doesn’t respect us, because there’s no way that he can tell us to demolish shacks without having a plan to relocate us.”
Some residents are staying with family members and friends but others are rebuilding at their previous site.
Thando Pimpi, the Ward 93 councillor, said it was intended to relocate residents to an open space in Green Point.
“[But] Green Point residents said the space was reserved for a housing development for them,” said Pimpi.
“We are in talks with all the parties to solve this quickly so that we can continue with the relocation. It is dangerous where they are now [because of the damaged sewage pipes that need to be fixed],” said Pimpi.
Pictured above: Khayelitsha residents accuse their ward councillor of making them demolish their shacks.
Image source: Supplied
