Tears streamed down the faces of mothers with small children as they contemplated where to spend the night after the Red Ants evicted a number of families from a Windsor East, Randburg block of flats yesterday.
Mother-of-one Itumeleng Moloiyane, 27, was on her way to work when she was called by her flatmate Helen Dube telling her to come home immediately.
In an early morning swoop, members of the Red Ants security company broke down flat doors, emptying out furniture, clothes and electronics from the properties.
The suburb is notorious for hijacking of buildings and homes.
Moloiyane told The Star she arrived home to find her belongings scattered on the pavement.
It’s alleged residents have been paying rent of R7000 to R8000 a month to a bogus property agency.
Residents said they had been accused of occupying flats in several buildings illegally. However, they said they were paying rent and were not aware their occupation was illegal.
“I got here at about 10am and could not believe what I saw,” said Moloiyane.
“I tried to call them (a property management agency, known to The Star), but... all their phones were off,” she added.
“I’ve told them that I am absolutely livid with what is happening here. I don’t understand how anyone can treat people like this,” said Moloiyane.
Dube said she had been living in her flat for over four years and had never experienced such hostile treatment.
“There was a notice sent a while back; they were saying they wanted to check the garages and make sure there were less than five people in the flat. That was it.
“You never know with these papers because they come and some of them are not even from the high court, and papers are drafted by (crooks) themselves.”
THROWN OUT: Members of the Red Ants carry belongings of tenants from their flats in a Windsor East block following a dispute between landlords and tenants.
A tearful Dube asked Moloi-
yane: “Ntombi, what do we do?”
Moloiyane’s adoptive mother Linda Gunther was appalled by the way the Red Ants had invaded the flats to evict “paying residents”.
“Where is the humanness in all this? How do you treat people like this? Just throwing things out. These are people’s life savings,” said Gunther.
She had rushed to help her daughter, who was hysterical when she arrived at the property, which was being guarded by a private security company.
Ward 98 councillor Beverley Weweje told The Star that an alleged Windsor Recovery Group had approached residents to stop paying rent.
She said she made several attempts to plead with the residents to continue paying rent but they unfortunately didn’t.
“About a year ago, the group (individuals who hijack buildings) were telling residents to stop paying their rent. This has been a year of legal battle with the group,” said Weweje.
“It’s not a matter of affordability, because the tenants were paying their rent to the group.
“I am not happy right now, especially when you do all you can to inform the residents. It’s sad. It could have been avoided.” added Weweje.
In terms of shelter for the residents, Weweje has made contact with the Department of Social Services and urged that families try to visit their nearest shelters.
SAPS Gauteng spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said officers were deployed to the scene to accompany officials from the sheriff’s office.
The Star made several attempts to get comment from officials regarding the eviction at the apartment block, but they did not respond.
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