Residents of Kokotela informal settlement in Lenasia south of Johannesburg say they will rebuild their shacks that were demolished by the Red Ants on Wednesday.
The area was established in 2017 and some residents were evicted during the hard lockdown last year.
One of the residents who requested to remain anonymous said it is unfair that they are being evicted and those who were at work will find their homes demolished.
“I feel very bad because because we’ve been working very hard to build here for them to just come and take our shacks,” she said.
“And what is more devastating is that most people are at work. When they come back from work they will find nothing, is not right and it’s unreasonable,” she added.
Another resident who also didn’t want to be named said people have been renting backrooms in nearby areas and some left their family houses due to fights.
“We come from renting backrooms because we were retrenched and some in their family houses are fighting and killing each other. We expected that after voting the government will come and install electricity and water, instead we are being removed,” the sad resident told Newsnote.
Another resident, Bruce Baloyi, accused the Red Ants of evicting them without a court order.
“What we wanted was for them to give us a court order, but it was very clear they don’t have it as they sent us from pillar to post,” Baloyi said.
Several informal settlements have mushroomed in the south of Johanneburg, including areas like Phumla Mqashi, Mountain City, Tjovitjo, and others around Lenasia, Ennerdale and Orange Farm.
