Enraged tenants of the Steenvilla housing complex in Steenberg barricaded a section of Military Road with burning tyres, wheelie dirt bins and rubbish after an eviction order was issued against them.
The building is owned by a social housing company, Sohco.
Police fired rubber bullets and used stun-grenades to disperse the group of about 200 residents.
The unrest was sparked after residents were ordered to vacate the properties because some of them owe rent and have owed amounts for some time.
A tenant said about 350 tenants had been receiving eviction notices since last year.
Sohco Property Investments chief executive officer Heather Maxwell said rentals ranged from R949 to R 2950 per month.
“During March 2016 a small group of tenants stopped paying rent. After attempts to resolve the situation were unsuccessful, Sohco initiated eviction proceedings in court during 2016.
"With eviction orders eventually being granted in March 2017 and May 2017, 22 evictions were planned by the Sheriff of the Court.
"The tenants being evicted haven’t paid rent for over 12 months, during which time all other attempts to resolve the situation and avoid eviction proceedings were unsuccessful,” she said.
A tenant said they heard heavy knocks on their doors, accompanied by the shoving of eviction notices under their doors.
The eviction was abandoned after a crowd of tenants assembled and objected to it. No one was arrested.
Community leader Tina Schoor angrily said: “We are not going to allow people to be evicted here.”
She said they previously had met Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela and ward councillor Marita Petersen to inform them that tenants wanted to pay lower rentals.
She said the tenants were prepared to move out on condition that land was provided to build houses.
She asked Sohco to reduce the rentals
Steenvilla tenant Ramona September, 39, said she felt scared as Sohco’s eviction threats were getting worse daily.
“I have been pressured to vacate the Steenvilla premises on several occasions,” she added.
Since October, Sohco initiated a court process through the Western Cape High Court and 22 tenants had eviction orders served on them in late March, effective after May.
A tenant , who did not want to be identified, said: “If they want us out of here, where must we go to, that’s what I want to know?"
Another resident said: “I’m not behind with my rent, but you feel that the evictions are wrong, because there are so many pensioners here who just can’t afford to pay these rentals.”