Two petitions calling Parliament and Muizenberg SAPS to intervene on behalf of 31 objecting tenants whom the Sohco Property Investments
NPC wants to evict from its Steenvilla flats complex in Military Road, Steenberg, are being circulated.
The petition to Parliament’s National Council of Provinces chairperson Thandi Modise is also addressed to UN secretary-general António Guterres.
The second one is from Steenvilla’s children to Muizenberg SAPS’ Colonel Daniels. Both petitions were drawn up by the SEESworld organisation on behalf of tenants and the children.
In the first petition, the tenants request their rental
payments to Sohco be reduced to R500 a month, as many of them currently pay what they consider an unaffordable rental of about R3 000 a month.
“Expecting rental income contribution of up to R3 300 and evicting residents who are unable to keep up, deviates from its initial purpose of providing for the disadvantaged sectors of society,” reads the petition
The petition suggests that the evictions of disadvantaged women and children be treated as a crime against humanity.
Sohco, which specialises in providing and managing affordable low-cost housing, accused the defaulters of not wanting to pay their rent or arrears.
It has tried on various occasions to evict defaulters, with a recent attempt resulting in tenants blockading Military Road and burning tyres.
Sohco’s latest evictions were on November 23, with Metro Police, SAPS and Special Task Force members forcibly evicting tenants.
But those evictions were stopped that day by a high court order obtained by the tenants’ lawyers.
A subsequent court order on November 29, brought by Sohco, resulted in the court setting aside the November 23 order.
Sohco chief executive Heather Maxwell said she she was not in a position to comment as she had not seen the petitions.