Better Life protesters vow to continue sleeping next to road

More than two weeks after being sent packing, dozens of former home invaders are still sleeping on the side of a road near Mdantsane, demanding alternative housing.

The people of Better Life, near Chicken Farm, were evicted on October 16, five years after illegally occupying incomplete RDP houses constructed in the area under the Reeston Phase 2 project.

On Monday, more than 50 people who were left homeless by the evictions blocked the busy Black Road in protest.

Bafana Mange said they had repeatedly written to Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane, asking for assistance and arguing that the RDP homes had been built for people from their area.

“The houses were built, and the project was called Reeston Phase 2.

“That is when they tried to illegally evict us with a court interdict, which does not state any valid reasons,” he said.

Mange said the interdict only prohibited the home invaders from adding new materials to the RDP houses.

“Throughout these years, since 2021, we have been living peacefully, obliging [with] the instructions we were given.

“Until the fateful day, on October 16, when we were evicted like we were nobodies.

“We were not warned, we did not get any eviction letters; instead, we were pointed at with weapons,” Mange said.

“If the municipality says we were wrong to occupy the houses, at least they could give us alternative shelter.

“I do not think the constitution of the country matters any more, because our rights are being violated.

“We will live next to the road until the government listens to our cries.”

Resident Yandisa Sandi, who lives with her children, said her daughter, a grade 12 pupil, had been struggling to study since the eviction.

“My child’s first exam was on the day of the eviction. She has been struggling to concentrate because of the situation we are living under.

“Our children bathe in the open field because there is no other place.”

She said during Monday’s protest “we were advised not to burn tyres, so we complied and told them we want to speak to the premier”.

“We will not stop protesting until the government attends to our grievances.”

It is heartbreaking because our belongings are ruined, and we have nowhere else to go

An elderly woman said she was terrified when members of the Red Ants security company burst into the house she had occupied to carry out the eviction.

“I had to beg the security to at least leave my husband, as he was bedridden. I would sacrifice my life and sleep in the street.

“It is heartbreaking because our belongings are ruined, and we have nowhere else to go,” she said.

When the Dispatch visited the site, residents had built makeshift shelters along the roadside from mattresses and cabinets. Their clothes and furniture were exposed to rain and sun.

Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Bongani Fuzile confirmed that the province’s human settlements department had obtained an eviction order against people who had “illegally occupied incomplete RDP houses under the Reeston 3/2 housing project”.

He said: “The high court last Friday dismissed an urgent interdict brought by the evictees, thereby affirming the validity of the eviction order.”

Fuzile said no alternative accommodation had been offered because the occupation was unlawful.

“The city remains committed to addressing legitimate housing needs through proper allocation processes managed by the department of human settlements.”

He urged anyone suspecting foul play to report it to Scenery Park police.

“The municipality continues to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure housing developments are completed and allocated to rightful beneficiaries in a lawful and transparent manner,” Fuzile said.

About half the houses in the 840-unit project, which was left partly completed due to a contractual dispute, was occupied illegally more than five years ago.

The Red Ants were contracted to enforce the eviction order.

Daily Dispatch