Several families were evicted from the Albatross Complex in Thornton yesterday after they had been living there illegally for the past 20 months.
The complex is owned by Communicare, which has been in a legal battle to try and get the occupants out of the 11 flats since September 2019.
Anthea Houston, CEO of Communicare, said that a court order was served to the occupants in October, instructing them to evict the premises on 14 December.
However, after they failed to do so, an eviction order was served by the City’s Metro Police Department on Wednesday.
Houston said: “As sympathetic as I am about the shortage of affordable housing in our city, we cannot allow lawlessness to take over. Many of our legal tenants have been threatened and intimidated in their homes, which is grossly unfair.”
She added that illegal connections to water and electricity were made by the illegal tenants and that Communicare is R5 million out of pocket in rental income for the 11 flats.
Neville Petersen, a resident and head of Albatross Housing Care, says that when the occupants moved in two years ago, they were welcomed by the community.
“These people were living in shacks and the flats were empty so when they moved in two years ago, it was not an issue for us because it was all done peacefully.
“There was no protest or violent takeover and the people here also pay for their water and electricity through prepaid boxes, so there is no illegal connection.
“In fact, when they first moved in Communicare cut the service, but we got a court interdict for it to be put back on.
“We approached Communicare to come to some sort of compromise for the families. The current rent ranges from R11 500 to R14 000 and these families cannot afford that, but they have openly said that they are willing to pay rent.
“Communicare refuses to budge on this matter, which has led to us hiring advocates in order to seek a resolution.”
junior.bester@inl.co.za