Nearly 100 protesters burnt tyres and portable toilets during a service delivery protest in Delft, which the local ward councillor said was linked to homes being illegally sold for as little as R4 000.
The residents, from temporary residential area (TRA) 5.1 in Delft, overturned bins on Symphony Way at around 7.30am on Monday, demanding houses and security for the area.
Nontsikelelo Phantsi, secretary of the TRA 5.1 community committee, said residents were sick of waiting.
“We were told that we’d be moved from TRA 5.1 to TRA 5, where there is temporary housing. We want to know when that is going to happen because we see people being put up in those houses while we get rained on in winter.
“There are very old, and very young people here. With the threat of losing our fencing, we are not safe. People will easily get raped here because we live near a bush,” said Phantsi.
Residents were also not pleased with the portable toilets provided by authorities, he said.
“We want toilets that we can at least flush,” said Phantsi.
Kayalethu Makeleni, councillor for ward 106, said: “I understand the residents’ plight. I even have proof that people have been selling houses to others. One person sold a house for R4 000.
“I confronted her and she admitted it. She was meant to meet with me on Sunday but did not pitch. I’m still trying to locate her,” said Makeleni.
He said he would continue to investigate the matter in order to lay a charge against those selling houses.
Cape Argus