Occupiers Attacked by ANC Mob in Verulam

Occupiers Attacked by ANC Mob in Verulam

Last night and this morning around a hundred families occupying municipal flats in in Hammond's Farm in Waterloo, Verulam, North of Durban came under sustained attack by an ANC mob and then the Land Occupations Unit, both acting with the support for the police.

The flats were occupied in November 2014. They had been left empty for years and it is alleged that the councillor from ward 58 began selling them for a minimum price of R10 000 each. At this point homeless residents took the decision to occupy.

Yesterday morning a municipal housing official known as Mr Comfort Gumede arrived at the flats accompanied by local councillor Mxolisi Kenneth Ndzibomvu to threaten residents with eviction. The occupiers asked them for an eviction order and Ndzibomvu said that this is an ANC Ward and where ANC rules they do not need to go to court. We over heard them speaking amongst themselves and they said that that night they were going to mobilize ANC members in order to carry out this evictions.

At around 19:00 p.m last night around 200 ANC people in ANC t-shirts and led by councillor arrived at the flats armed with bush knives, knobkerries, bottles and guns. They were chanting ANC slogans and started looting and damaging property and residents’ belongings. These thugs were also stealing our money and our belongings. One woman lost her bag with her documents, driver’s license, cash and medication. The local police were called in but took their instruction from the councillor who was inciting the violence. The police were there standing with Ndzibomvu and watching when we were attacked and our furniture was damaged. One car was also damaged. Some of us were seriously injured during this attack by the ANC and Thokozane Hlengwa had to be rushed to hospital. However despite all this we were able to hold on to the flats.

When the ANC left last night they said they would then send in the Anti-Land Invasion Unit. This morning at about 8:00am the Anti-Land Invasion Unit, Metro Police and SAPS came in their numbers to force us out. They came without any court document that authorises them to carry out evictions. The eviction has been completely criminal and unlawful. We have approached our lawyers to seek legal advice and protection under this circumstance.

The Anti-Land Invasion Unit has also started to evict ANC members who got flats by corruptions and not via occupation. They are also disconnecting all the flats from electricity. One woman screamed saying she had paid money to be in those flats. They are fighting amongst themselves over corrupt allocation.

ENDS

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