An angry community went on the rampage after law enforcement officers demolished a shack they say was used for chicken farming.
The Vrygrond mense say a chicken farmer was helping them rebuild the hokkie which burned down last month.
The yard is also used as a pigsty and to collect recyclables.
Nonkosi Fodo says about 10 Law Enforcement cops arrived on Wednesday afternoon and broke down the structure.
“They destroyed it after they saw new zincs as they do every time there’s a new structure,” she says.
“The people got angry because the owner has helped a lot of people in the area by employing about 50 of them.
“Last year he decided to assist women by teaching them about chicken farming so they could sustain themselves, so when all that happened, people got angry and protested.
“There were no documents telling him to remove his stuff, it’s confusing because at the next site there are people who are running a similar business but they are coloured, so we don’t know if it is a racial thing or not.”
She says the protest morphed into one over a lack of service delivery in the Xakabantu informal settlement.
Community leader Celiwe Tyelwa says since they moved into the area in 2016, the City only gave them 10 toilets for 65 people.
“The are more than 800 people now. We don’t have water, all we are asking for is for the City to give us basic services.”
Safety and Security’s Alderman JP Smith says City staff and SAPS responded to a protest after the removal of structures, which was built in violation of a court order.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za