Residents living across from the Communicare elderly living complex in Brooklyn say they are held hostage by squatters who took over the area at the weekend.
Two security guards were beaten up while residents were kept awake by the sounds of petrol bombs and shouting from 7.30pm on Friday to midnight on Saturday.
Aboubaker Kippie, who stays opposite the complex in Riversdale Road, said it was chaos and that the complex has been overrun by squatters since the start of the month.
“Friday night things really went to hell here by the flats, the people started to burn things and we saw them beating the guards,” he says.
“They then took over the entrances and exits of the centre and anybody who was seen taking pictures was attacked.
“A 71-year-old lady who lives there was attacked in front of her husband so we were all scared to take pictures.”
Aboubaker added that squatters previously started breaking down the surrounding fence and occupying the vacant flats in the complex.
“How they know which flats are empty is a complete mystery to me, but they dug a hole by the fence and tore it down a few days ago to gain access.
“They then broke the locks and started living there, these are one bedroom flats, but one of them has 11 people living there.”
One of the residents in the complex, who did not want to be named, said: “We pay rent here and it is unacceptable to have these people come here and just destroy everything.
“I could not leave my flat the whole weekend because I was scared of being attacked, while I also had to make sure that my home was safe.”
The chief operating officer of Communicare, Makhosi Kubheka, said that they are investigating the squatter situation at the complex but they were not able to comment on the incidents reported over the weekend.
Meanwhile Megan Lennert, Stakeholder Relations Officer at Communicare claims cops “stood by and watched the violence unfold without taking any action”.
She says the squatters have been attempting the to occupy the units since March 2 and blames police for Friday night’s violence.
“Communicare has experienced attempts to illegally occupy its units at Goedehoep Rental Complex in Brooklyn since 2 March. At the time the illegal occupations were reported to Maitland Police who refused to take any action to protect property and legal tenants.
“SAPS’ failure to act has now resulted in escalating violence and 24 apartments in the complex being occupied by the trespassers. Several violent scuffles broke out between a group of about 40 people led by 2 tenants from another of Communicare’s properties. Tenants are generally law-abiding and Communicare will not tolerate tenants and others breaking the law,” said Lennert.
Anthea Houston, CEO Communicare adds: “The situation is untenable. No-one should be threatened or feel unsafe in their homes. It is a sad day when the police who are expected to protect us do not enforce the law and protect our tenants and property, particularly when the violence unfolds in front of them.
“Communicare is now resorting to using private security to safeguard our property and our tenants. The failure of SAPS resulted in these criminals taking the law into their own hands and threatening our tenants.
“Our first priority is to our tenants, especially the elderly. We owe them the right to live securely and peacefully in our rental units,” said Houston.
On Sunday, Aboubaker said that while things were quiet, there was still a number of men walking around the area and that anybody wanting to take pictures of the incidents was being chased away.
Police did not respond to Daily Voice queries.
junior.bester@inl.co.za