Pretoria - The Red Ants accompanied by the Tshwane Metro Police and other law agencies have cut short the stay of illegal occupants at Extension 5 flats in Mamelodi.
The illegal occupants are residents of Mamelodi and Nellmapius who invaded about 550 rental houses in Mamelodi east in December.
The evicted occupants, however, were unhappy with the eviction and said the flats belonged to them.
And while illegal residents were evicted the rightful owners queued up inside the flats with occupation certificates to collect their keys.
Evicted residents also complained that the Red Ants damaged their furniture and accused them of stealing their valuables.
Red Ants accompanied by the Tshwane Metro Police remove illegal occupants at flats in Mamelodi. Video: Sakhile Ndlazi
They said they could not wait any longer for the city to allocate the houses, which they added were empty and being vandalised, or sold to foreign nationals.
Scores of evicted occupants lined up on the street with their belongings scattered around them.
Children as young as two-years-old sat on mattresses as parents salvaged their belongings.
The houses are still incomplete and have no taps or basic services such as electricity meters and running water.
A resident who refused to be named told the Pretoria News that a serious war in Mamelodi was brewing.
“People are sick and tired of this housing saga and want the councillors to know that they’ve had enough.
Illegal residents were evicted from Mamelodi flats and "the rightful” owners queued up inside the flats with occupation certificates. Picture: Sakhile Ndlazi
"There’s a plan for disruption and holding Mamelodi hostage until we get what we want,” he said.
He says the illegal occupants are backyard dwellers from Mamelodi.
The eviction order does not require the city to provide the invaders with alternative accommodation, he added.
“The order that was granted to the city was that these people need to vacate the building within seven days and they didn’t say that we have to provide alternative accommodation for them.
“The sheriff was expected to serve them with notices. They were expected to vacate on the January 27." he said.