The Human Rights Commission in the Western Cape and opposition parties in the City of Cape Town have laid a charge against the local authority in Khayelitsha for allegedly being in contempt of Disaster Management Regulations on evictions.
This follows the eviction of a naked man by law enforcement authorities in Harare, on Wednesday.
A video trended on social media of Bulelani Qhalani, being manhandled outside his shack. Four officials have been suspended pending a probe by the City.
Community members and local political formations marched to a local police station to vent their anger following the incident. They say the city had no right to evict people during the lockdown.
Leader of opposition in the City, ANC’S Xolani Sotashe says they are laying charges for violation of court order and the disaster management regulations.
Human Rights Commissioner, Chris Nissen, says they’re investigating human rights abuses. “The human rights of Bulelani were completely violated, they disgraced him. They literally stripped him of his dignity, and we are saying this is the case for the equality court, we will investigate.”
A community leader, Ayanda Tetani, has accused the City of Cape Town of targeting the poor. “The reason we are here is the way the city of Cape Town is treating us here in the province, we feel that they are not respecting us as poor people especially the blacks, they are violating our rights as you see what happened with the people of Ethembeni.”
Cape Town Mayor, Dan Plato, has apologised for the incident but has welcomed the suspension of the four officials.
“That is not how they should have reacted. On behalf of the City of Cape Town, I want to apologise to that person. That was indeed inhuman, we have suspended four officers. A full investigation is already under way by senior officers. It is a fact that the land is earmarked for municipal services, for bulk infrastructure.”
Meanwhile, land invasion has continued in the area.
‘Barbaric eviction ‘
The Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, says she is appalled by the victimisation and abuse of residents of Empolweni in Khayelitsha by Cape Town law enforcement officers. She says the barbaric eviction of a resident, humiliated as he fought for his basic right to shelter, is unconscionable. Sisulu says if the city evicted people without the authority of the court, then she intends to challenge that in court.
Across South Africa, there are reports of evictions taking place in the bitter winter cold, often without due process. Below is Zamantungwa Khumalo’s reaction. He is from the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI).
‘Inhumane and inconsiderate’
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Machwene Semenya, has denounced the eviction of the man, saying that the actions of the City are inhumane and inconsiderate considering that it’s winter.
She also described the eviction of the naked man, unwarranted, cruel and repulsive. T
