Once insulated from a problem that has become common in many parts of the country, Chatsworth is seeing a spike in land grabs.
The latest area being targeted by the landless is Crossmoor, where about 100 people armed with picks and spades tried to illegally occupy land where shacks had previously sprung up.
The eThekwini Municipality’s Land Invasion Unit was called to Bottlebrush Crescent and Raffia Road last week to remove them as they were pegging housing plots in the middle of the residential area.
Community leader Tony Govender said the land was covered in bush and used as a hideout for criminals.
“Crime was becoming a problem and we took the decision to have the Parks and Gardens Department cut down the bush. But we later found that shack dwellers were starting to invade the plot of land.”
Govender said a group had already set up home on a section of the land and they were unable to remove them.
On Monday night last week a new group were pegging parts of the vacant land.
“Residents contacted the unit, who arrived and instructed them to leave. The shack dwellers became violent and the unit fired rubber bullets to disperse the group.”
Govender said they were not opposed to shack dwellers living in the area but to the conditions they lived in.
“From experience with the first group, we saw there was no electricity, no water or ablution facilities. This poses serious health risks for the shack dwellers and residents. The government needs to address these issues. Proper housing needs to be developed for these people because they cannot live like this. The current shack dwellers have such unstable homes. It is extremely dangerous. They are using candles and paraffin stoves, which are also another risk.”
A Crossmoor resident, who wished to remain anonymous, echoed Govender’s sentiments, saying proper housing was needed.
A 36-year-old mother of two said she already had a row of shacks built against her wall and would not allow any more to be built on the vacant plot.
“They have no sanitation facilities, no electricity and water. I have seen them relieve themselves in a nearby stream and holes which are covered with sand. This is unhygienic for both them and us.”
Another resident, who has been living in the area for 20 years, said cable theft was a huge problem.
“The shack dwellers have started to illegally connect to power boxes and street lights. One of the boxes blew up a few nights ago and we were left without electricity,” she said.
“On both sides, no one deserves to live like this. Government needs to do something fast.”
Two shack dwellers who already live on the vacant plot said if they did not have the basic shelter they would be living on the streets with their families.
Petoris Dlamini, 43, lives in a one-room shack with his two daughters. “When I heard the commotion I was scared,” he said of the new invasion attempt last week. “I thought they (the land invasion unit) were going to break down my house. Life is very difficult and this is the only home my family and I know.”
Philani Khumalo, 28, said he felt hurt because the other people were unable to build their homes. “I am also worried that the land invasion unit will break my home down. We don’t want to live like this. We also want a proper house and electricity. We are all trying to survive.”
However, DA ward councillor Paris Singh described the land invaders as “unruly” and “aggressive”. “They are from the Eastern Cape and are currently living at the Bottlebrush informal settlement. They have tried to invade the rear end of Train Road in Crossmoor and Naicker Road in Shallcross. I am working with the Land Invasion Unit to stop this.”
The eThekwini Municipality had not commented by the time of publication, despite repeated requests.