Lwandle: accusations and counter-accusations

In June last year, the residents were evicted from SANRAL owned land, resulting in hundreds of people moving into the nearby Nomzamo community hall. Following a commission of inquiry into the evictions, the HDA — the agent acting on behalf of the National Department of Human Settlements — built houses for the residents in two phases. In the first phase 224 zinc shacks were built. Water, taps and toilets were also installed. In the second phase, another 260 shacks were built but these have neither water, toilets nor taps.

On 3 June a protest by Lwandle residents took place on the N2 without permission having been sought. Tyres were burnt on the highway and traffic was briefly halted.

This time, ward councillor Mbuyiselo Matha (ANC) said that permission has been sought for the protest. “We are going to protest along the N2 because we want to be provided with water, electricity and houses. And no one wants to take responsibility and they are playing hide and seek with us. So now we want to be heard. We are being civil about the protest. We want the law to be on our side. We just hope that all these parties will give us a way forward,” he said.

One of the evictees said that the City promised to relocate residents in November this year to a better place. He said that now none of the authorities are saying anything about the relocation.

Mbuyiselo said that last year Mayor Patricia de Lille had undertaken to move the Lwandle residents to Macassar, but then reversed this decision a few weeks later. He told GroundUp, “As far as I am aware the total number of people that were evicted on 2 and 3 June 2014, as per the community leaders, was 849.” This number is disputed by authorities.

Pierrinne Leukes, spokesperson for Mayor de Lille referred GroundUp to the HDA to respond to questions and about the provision of water, toilets and electricity. Leukes also did not respond to our question about moving the Lwandle residents.

Kate Shand of the HDA said in an email, “The mandate of the National Department of Human Settlements, executed via the HDA, was to house those affected by the June evictions. The precise number of affected members of the community has been in dispute for quite some time, and there have been discrepancies between the numbers provided for the June evictions by the Sheriff (234) and the community (849).”

She continued, “It has been observed that certain members of the community have wittingly inflated the numbers, for reasons best known to themselves. The mandate to rebuild the housing units and relocate those directly affected by the evictions has been fulfilled.”

She said that the City might be able to answer when and where people are going to be moved to another location.

In an email, JC van der Walt, SANRAL’s regional manager, wrote, “Basic services are the responsibility of the City of Cape Town.” Van der Walt also said that SANRAL has a court order preventing occupation of their land in Lwandle by new residents.