IT’S a never ending story for people living on erf 81 at the military base in Tamboerskloof as they continue to live in limbo, waiting for the day authorities remove them.
The residents, some of whom have been living on the land for more than 20 years, have on several occasions received letters and court orders instructing them to vacate the land.
But with no alternative place to stay, the residents have stayed, and threats to bulldoze their home have continued.
In the latest move some residents received notices of termination of leases.They are instructed to be out by this weekend.
Others have an expired eviction notice hanging over their heads.
The land on the slopes of Signal Hill is owned by the Department of Defence and has been managed by the National Department of Public Works for the last 25 years.
Public Works spokesperson Thamsanqa Mchunu said he would respond to questions today.
In 1891 British soldiers built the Tamboerskloof Ammunition Magazine on the site to supply the Lion Artillery Battery at the top of Signal Hill. In the 1920s the property was transferred to the Union Defence Force.
In 2013 the Department of Defence appointed the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to work on the concept drawings for two defence endowment properties.
With looming evictions, resident John Nankin started a petition on Change.org calling to “stop all evictions of the unique ERF 81 eco village community in Tamboerskloof, Cape Town”. By yesterday afternoon it had 400 signatures.
Resident Andrè Laubscher has been living on the land for nearly 22 years.
He initially worked as a caretaker and takes in abandoned children and started an animal farm on the land.
He said he has received recurring eviction notices since 1999.
“This place has a peace and tranquillity about it that you feel when you are here. We need someone to make things happen here that is in the interest of the community. It has so much potential to bring people together.” Unathi Dyanti works on the Tyisa Nabanye Garden Project in the area, which provides food for the community and is also sold at a market every Sunday in the area.
He also faces eviction and said because he did not know how the future looked, he could not put all his efforts into growing the garden.
“What would happen if we plant more crops and then have to leave? It would be a waste.”
s@FrancescaJaneV