Several hundred people marched on the Hout Bay police station on Sunday to protest the destruction of illegal shacks at Hangberg above the harbour.
In a memorandum addressed to the provincial commissioner of police, Cape Town mayor Dan Plato and Western Cape premier Helen Zille, they demanded a commission of enquiry into last month's violent clashes between residents and police.
They also demanded that Zille be held personally responsible for “all injuries, maiming, destruction of property and emotional trauma caused by her actions”.
The memorandum called for a moratorium on evictions until a “comprehensive solution” had been found.
The march was co-ordinated by Cosatu. Banners of organisations including the ANC youth and womens' leagues, the SA Communist Party and the Pan Africanist Congress were on display at a rally held before it got under way.
A candle-lighting ceremony to be led by ANC veteran Dennis Goldberg at the rally was abandoned because of wind.
Cosatu Western Cape provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich told people at the rally they could see, looking down on Hout Bay valley, that there was enough land for rich people's horses, and that the horses had better accommodation than they did.
He said the memo would also be sent to the office of President Jacob Zuma.
On September 21 residents pelted police with rocks and petrol bombs when city council workers moved in to break down empty shacks on a firebreak behind the settlement.
Last week Sanparks and the city applied in the high court for an eviction order in respect of other, occupied, illegal structures there.
The application will be heard on October 18. - Sapa