Cape Town - A crèche in Mfuleni was allegedly set alight by angry residents on Tuesdayafter their partially built shacks were taken down by the City of Cape Town and the crèche wasn’t.
The owner of the Phandulwazi crèche, Belinda Manakazi, said she had permission from the police to erect a structure on the land but her neighbours did not. “They said that it was unfair that I was still left there.”
Manakazi said she had an affidavit from the police saying she could occupy the land.
“They started to burn it on Monday with the children still inside, but we managed to put that fire out, it just burnt a corner of the shack.”
She claimed one woman intimidated the children and threatened to burn the crèche down a day before.
Crèche caretaker Mphumzi Mhami said his shack is next to the crèche and he was woken up by the smell of smoke but couldn’t to save their belongings.
“I was sleeping inside and when I woke up I saw a big fire but I don’t know who started it.”
Mhami said three churches and four shacks had surrounded the crèche. The shacks “were destroyed by law enforcement last week but (residents) put them up again, and law enforcement destroyed them again”.
Mayoral committee member for human settlements Tandeka Gqada said Manakazi did not have permission from the city to be on the land but could not be moved.
“The city was not allowed to evict her or remove her structure as it is occupied. The city is required to get a court order to evict someone once a property is occupied. The city’s Anti-Land Invasion Unit did, however, remove a number of partially built structures… This is allowed in terms of the legislation.”
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk confirmed the incident and said no arrests had been made in connection with the fire but one woman was arrested for intimidation and threatening to burn down the crèche.
Cape Argus