An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell's Plain Backyarders' Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Members of the city's Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Photo: Brenton Geach, Cape Times
Published May 17, 2011
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An open field in Tafelsig turned into a war zone as a group of land invaders pelted police and city law enforcers with rocks and bottles. The officers retaliated by firing rubber bullets and blasting the invaders with a water cannon to bring them under control. The group, who call themselves the Mitchell’s Plain Backyarders’ Association, moved on to the Swartklip Sports Field on Saturday. They built makeshift shacks and set up tents on the field, saying it should belong to them. Yesterday, members of the city’s Anti-Land Invasion Unit tore down 338 structures and 100 tents before they were forced to retreat. In tit-for-tat moves, the land invaders continued to move in to rebuild their structures, only for them to be torn down again by a phalanx of policemen, flanked by a water cannon and heavily protected metro police officers. Residents claimed they had been pepper sprayed, and insisted that metro police had used “live ammunition”, a claim the city strenuously denied. City of Cape Town spokeswoman Kylie Hatton said rubber bullets had been fired several times, but officers had “definitely not” used live ammunition. She said two law enforcement officers and a metro police officer were injured. Police said 14 people had been arrested after clashes.
Yesterday, residents showed the Cape Argus injuries they said were sustained during the day’s skirmishes. Some said they had been hit by bottles and rocks, and others by rubber bullets. The water cannon blasted the land invaders with coloured water, marking them for later identification. This morning, some of the invaders, many of whom had slept in tents on the field last night, were slowly rebuilding their structures. Cooking fires were dotted across the field, and people started their day by brewing coffee in small pans. Some said they were uncertain of their next move, with others saying they would try to keep the police at bay without using violence.
