A truck was set alight and police arrested six men for public violence after more land-invasion rioting rocked Dunoon on Thursday last week.
Earlier in the day, City law enforcement tore down 47 illegal structures on municipal land in the township.
Mayco member Xanthea Limberg, whose portfolio includes informal settlements, said there was a court interdict protecting the land, which she said was earmarked for community facilities.
“Protests have been as a result of repeated anti-land invasion actions. The City will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to attempted land grabs across the metro,” said Ms Limberg.
The land behind Sophakama Primary School is at the centre of a tug-of-war struggle between land invaders and the City. (“Land invaders stand their ground,” Tabletalk, March 28).
The land invaders say they have nowhere else to go
One of them, Yanga Omsulwa, called on the City to find another way to deal with the matter.
“I thought we made ourselves clear the last time. We want to be left alone, if not, then the City must find an alternative place for us. They did it for Woodstock people and took them to Wolwerivier but most of those people complained about the place being too far. We won’t complain. We just want a piece of land and houses,” he said.
He said the six men arrested had not been part of the protest or land invasion.
Law enforcement officers have dealt with previous protests at the site, but this time Table View SAPS was involved.
Police spokeswoman Captain Adriana Chandler said officers had arrived on the scene to find a meat truck in flames.
She said bystanders had told the officers that six men, including two who were armed – one with a rifle and the other with a handgun — had forced three people out of the truck before torching it.
“The three occupants fled unharmed. The six men were arrested on Friday April 13 by Milnerton SAPS and were charged with public violence. No injuries were reported, only property has been damaged,” she said.
Ms Limberg said land invasions jeopardised emergency and basic service delivery.
“Many invaded erven are reserved for future housing projects, for industrial development that will promote job creation or for future roadways,” she said.
