Johannesburg - An attempted “land grab” in Nellmapius, east of Pretoria, preyed on the vulnerability of landless residents, the SACP in Gauteng said on Monday.
Last week, residents tried to build shacks on vacant land earmarked for low-cost housing developments.
Economic Freedom Fighters' local branch chairman Vusi Msiza said last week his party supported the residents who began building shacks on the land, and this support was extended by EFF leader Julius Malema on Friday.
SA Communist Party Gauteng spokesman Lucian Segami condemned the attempted land occupation and claimed EFF leaders were the “kingpins” behind it.
“... These invaders prey on the vulnerable and land hungry residents who were deviously led into invading the Nellmapius Road land.
“This offensive is seeking for localised ways to dislodge the democratic project and the national democratic revolution by artificially creating psychosis in national public opinion...”
Last week, the Tshwane metro police fired rubber bullets to disperse residents who threw stones at them and blocked a road with burning tyres, rocks, and tree branches.
Tshwane metro police spokesman Isaac Mahamba said on Monday a few residents were gathered near the land and were singing.
“Again they are singing today, but not many compared to last week.”
He said that on Saturday and Sunday three shacks were built on the land, but that these were demolished by a service provider.
“There are no shacks there now.”
Commenting on the events in Nellmapius on Friday, Malema told reporters in Johannesburg that there was nothing wrong with the attempted land occupations.
“These are progressive programmes which must happen everywhere in South Africa. “That is our land. They must take it.”
Sapa