Residents of Oasis Farm in Philippi are up in arms after Law Enforcement officials came to demolish their homes for no apparent reason.
Residents from the tiny informal settlement based a few metres off Jakes Gerwel Drive say they were terrorised by the City of Cape Town officers since Friday.
Hester Booysen, 50, who farms with pigs says her 70-year-old father’s R6000 shack was broken down on Sunday.
“My father lives alone, he is here to look after my pigs, but now his home lays plat op die grond en vir wat? There was no explanation given.”
Timothy Maasdorp explains: “Most people have lived here for 20 years and we’ve never had any trouble, we used to pay R300-R500 to live here, but a few years ago, the previous owner told us we don’t need to pay rent anymore. He sold off the farm, but we never heard from the new owners.”
“We all lived free and peacefully, until Friday when masked men came to demolish structures and shot rubber bullets at our children."
A 24-year-old man was shot thrice in the backside with rubber bullets while running for cover.
But Law Enforcement spokesman Wayne Dyason says the illegal occupants were warned and reacted violently when evicted.
“One incomplete unlawfully erected structure was removed at Oasis,” he says.
“The responsible people were warned on 2 October to remove it, but failed to do so.
“When it was removed members of the community reacted violently and stoned officers who were forced to use rubber rounds to restore order.
“A female officer was seriously injured when a stone hit her in the face and she was rushed to hospital.
“Another officer sustained a hand injury and one City vehicle was damaged.”