Amid a large police contingent and an imminent court appearance, the land invasion at Waterfall, Midrand was contained on Sunday. Building materials were removed from the vacant land.
Five people are expected to appear in court on Monday. Forty-eight year old Portia Ncedani is still waiting for the call about an RDP allocation.
She has been on the housing list for over two decades. Ncedani lives with her ailing mother, two children and two grand-children in this one-roomed house.
“The roof is leaking, there are rodents, and the room is too small you can’t even bath properly in the presence of the children.”
This is the struggle of an unemployed, single parent. Ncedani joined scores of people hoping to secure a plot twelve kilometres from her home, a privately-owned land. “We need a decent place to live, where I come from is inhabitable,” said Ncedani.
Many in need of decent housing have ran out of patience. “I am unemployed and so is my wife, my children are studying and they all need my support and a decent place to live.”
Land occupation is the primary objection. Basic services can follow in due course they say. “We are living under those circumstances where we do not have basic services like sanitation, water and so forth, it’s a life that a black person is used to,” says Economic Freedom Fighters Ward Councillor Washinton Maponyane.
However with a heavy police presence the invasion was thwarted. The people were disappointed as building material was confiscated.
Efforts to negotiate with authorities were in vain. Police are keeping a close watch. “Our guys are working in conjunction with the JMPD, they are monitoring the situation, at the moment it is very calm here, no shack has been erected in the area, and no one has invaded the property,” says Joburg North Cluster Police Spokesperson Granville Meyer.
As Ncedani returns to her humble abode, five alleged invaders face charges of malicious damage to property. The fight for land rages on, in and out of court. Click below for more on the story:
