Cape Town - The Human Settlements Department said that it had followed the necessary and correct procedure in dispatching the Red Ant Security Relocation and Eviction Services (Red Ants) to the site of a community food garden in Ilitha Park, Khayelitsha.
The Red Ants were sent to the area last week at the site near Lookout Hill, to quell residents’ efforts to establish a community food garden, on province-owned grounds. Their presence at the site has been continual.
Human Settlements Department spokesperson Reyana Steyn said the property had been identified as a potential site for an affordable housing development, and that the department had advertised a call for a proposal to develop it, in 2015.
“The department entered into a land availability agreement with the successful tenderer, after which they submitted a rezoning application to the City. The said the rezoning application was advertised for public comment, and after the comments were considered by the municipality the rezoning application was approved by the municipality in June 2018.
“However, the land available agreement has been terminated since the successful tenderer was unable to obtain the necessary finance to develop the site in accordance with the rezoning approval,” said Steyn.
Due to the termination of the agreement, the property reverted to the department. Steyn said the property, under the guardianship of the department, needed to be protected against unlawful occupation and use.
Steyn said that on January 20, people were found to be involved in gardening activities and the “trespassers” were asked to vacate; however, they refused.
“The security service provider was dispatched to assist in removing the unauthorised persons, who made all sorts of allegations. The burden of proof is not on the department to verify whether there is any merit in their allegations. The department is satisfied that it has followed the correct procedures in administering its own property.”
Earlier this week, Ilitha Park residents alleged that the Red Ants were harassing residents.
Ilitha Park Residents’ Association (Ipra) co-founder and secretary, Lwam Bungane, said residents decided to go ahead and establish the community food garden about three weeks ago.
Using their own funds and resources, residents cleared the area of rubble, fenced it and commenced with growing. The effort was intended to sustain two community-run food kitchens and provide food security to the community.
Ipra member Thembani Manase said the community was ill-informed of the proposed development and did not support the City’s decision to build low-cost housing at the site.
“I am just glad that the project for building flats around our community has been stopped. If the City wants to build anything in Ilitha Park they must do a proper public participation process, not just invite a few individuals while others are at work.”
He said the community had identified several pockets of land for recreational activities.
Cape Argus