Sisulu slams ‘victimisation and abuse’ of Empolweni residents

Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu says she is appalled by the victimisation and abuse of residents of the Empolweni Informal Settlement in Khayelitsha by Cape Town law enforcement officers.

Sisulu says the eviction of a resident, as he fought for his basic right to shelter, is unconscionable.

Four law enforcement officials have been suspended for manhandling a naked man during an anti-land invasion operation in Empolweni on Wednesday.

The operation went ahead despite  a recent court order, which allows 49 households to temporarily remain on the city-owned land until after the lockdown.

The Minister has since instructed the Housing Development Agency to start the process of building permanent structures for the families.

Department spokesperson Yonela Diko says the State has a legal obligation to treat people with dignity.

“If the City evicted people without the authority of the court then the minister intends to challenge that, so that the City can first return all the material they’ve taken and also stop evicting people, especially during lockdown. Minister is very clear that the State at all levels have a legal obligation to treat it’s citizens with the utmost dignity and to follow the law and protect people.”

? Press Release ?

We are calling on the Western Cape Government to urgently get to the bottom of the incident and to hold accountable those implicated for their deplorable actions. The violation of someone’s dignity has no place in a democratic South Africa. pic.twitter.com/iV8qr4Dx67

— Lindiwe Sisulu (@LindiweSisuluSA) July 2, 2020

It’s empolweni informal settlement not thembani https://t.co/m1r0jNFLr9

— SongezoMazizi® (@songezomazizi) July 1, 2020