Cape Town – Residents and land activists blocked the entrance into the the small hamlet of Suurbraak in the earlier hours of Monday morning, burning tyres and other objects along its Main Road.
The unrest comes after the group received a response from the Swellendam municipality on Friday, regarding their demands handed over two weeks ago for housing and other services for the former missionary town.
For the past 24 days the activists have occupied a piece of land next to the Main Road in makeshift shacks, to show the living conditions still present in the town following 20 years of promises for low income housing.
Community leader Burton Beukes said the municipality’s response to their memorandum was negative and showed their true intentions towards the community.
He said the decision to protest was not taken lightly and the community represented made the decision to take action following a meeting on Sunday.
Beukes said that the call for radical action came after their attempts to engage the Swellendam municipality proved fruitless.