A dispute over a piece of land in Rustenburg has led to the eviction of hundreds of households last week. The Rustenburg Local Municipality initiated the evictions. The municipality says the affected families had occupied the land owned by the municipality.
However, the Bashiga ba Raphafana claimed ownership of the land, which was called Tshenolong after its occupation. Many had been allocated land for residential purposes.
Residents say the eviction and demolition of their properties have caused them trauma.
“We are hurting because our municipality is failing us. They should have called a meeting and given us a notice and seen where we could go,” says one resident.
“What we are asking (is) for the municipality to assist these people of South Africa, because they are in trouble. We do not know what is going to happen going forward,” says another resident.
“My wife is hurting because they destroyed our house and she just bought some furnishers worth R8000, since I started working,” laments another resident.
The Rustenburg Local Municipality was not available for comment.
Traditional leader of Bashiga ba Raphafana, Elias Setuke, says they are going to take steps against the municipality.
“It’s illegal and it is also inhumane. Now, the steps that we are going to take, I am going to call that community, everyone of them, they must show us the plan and the structure of his or her house. Then we are going to fight Rustenburg Local Municipality to rebuild those entire houses they have demolished.”
