Cape Town – Violence erupted in Delft this week, with angry protesters torching The Hague Sport and Recreation Centre, along with a City vehicle.
Two of the area’s councillors had to be removed from the venue as scores of residents, protesting over land, descended on the centre on Tuesday, with police making a number of arrests.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said: “Nine people are expected to make their court appearances in Bellville on charges of public violence and for the contravention of the Disaster Management Act once they have been charged, following their arrest in The Hague, Delft.
“Authorities were in the area to prevent the community from erecting illegal dwellings on invaded land when the crowd became riotous and set a building alight and caused damage to vehicles.
’’The crowd was dispersed and the area was monitored by police.”
Mayco member for human settlements Malusi Booi said there had been invasion attempts at the City’s Breaking New Ground housing project in Delft which was currently under construction for hundreds of beneficiaries, including the most vulnerable in the area.
The City monitors attempts to invade land and illegally occupy projects and acts where it can. This is one of the many attempts currently to invade City projects.
Apart from Cape Town as a community, the earmarked beneficiaries of projects are the biggest losers.
“The City will continue to stand up for its communities and beneficiaries of projects and services,” said Booi.
Community Policing Forum chairperson Charles George said the situation had become volatile in the area in recent weeks as law enforcement demolished structures built on a piece of land next to the Delft main road.
“The protests are getting out of hand now and the protesters were angry that law enforcement officers had demolished informal structures that they had built.
“The protesters are backyarders who have lost income and say they can’t afford to pay rent. “Now they are building shacks on any land they can find.
“We don’t condone the violence and we are working on finding ways to end the violence,” he said.
The Hague recreational centre and a number of vehicles have been set alight during a service delivery protest in Delft. ...
Posted by SABC News Western Cape on Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Cape Times