ANGRY residents of Die Plaas are fighting for their right to stay on an open field in Grassy Park, with some having called it home for nearly 20 years.
Western Cape Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works slapped the residents with an eviction order last year and gave them until this week to move. The department wants to move them to Mfuleni, almost 40km away.
Lawrence Witbooi, 54, has been living on the piece of land, which was once used for farming, since 1998.
He recalled a time when his wife used to work for a farmer and they were offered a place to stay.
“When she died I continued living here. The farmer moved when his wife died. I stayed behind in the house he lived in and in 2003, I was approached by some residents who needed a place to stay. We all lived in the house and after the house burnt, we put up our places on the field.
“We have been living in peace since then, without anyone coming to claim the land or say we must get out. What will we do with our horses; where will they go to?”
Witbooi said the sheriff served the eviction notice last year.
“Why must I now pack up and go to a place I don’t even know? This is a place where many people grew up, built a home and passed on.”
Sherryzaan Steenkamp, 32, who has lived on the land for more than 10 years, said she also refused to move.
“I have children who attend school in the area, so what will happen to them when we move? My husband also works around here and brings in money. So, does that mean that we need to spend more money just so that he can come to work?
“This is not right, them forcefully removing us,” added Steenkamp.
Raynett Short, 35, added that the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works gave them until April 2022 to either accept or reject their offer for housing in Mfuleni.
“Many of us don’t want to go because here we are safe, we know one another and look out for one another.
“What also doesn't make sense is that they are calling us unlawful occupiers. But when the main house burnt down, the City gave us this material to rebuild and now they’re saying if we don’t leave they will come take off our structures.”
Short added that she had packed up her belongings already, but was hoping for a miracle.
“I’m packed up with nowhere to go. My heart is broken, because this is where we built our lives. The residents around here are also shocked. So it’s not like they had a problem with us; they even charged our phones and gave us warm water,” said Short.
Another resident, Stephanie Philander, 33, said she was angry that even though the community never bothered anyone, they were being forced to move.
“Here we don’t have water or electricity and even though we were promised these amenities, we never protested when we didn’t get it. We lived here together in peace like a big family. We didn't allow more people to come put up structures here; it was just us all along.”
Jandré Bakker, head of communication, at the Department of Transport and Public Works explained that the sheriff served the eviction order together with the City of Cape Town’s offer of accommodation report on the unlawful occupants.
“The occupiers were required to vacate on June 30 in terms of the eviction order. The unlawful tenants were notified and given an opportunity to accept the City’s offer of alternative accommodation.
“The deadline for this offer was April 30 but no response was received from the occupiers.”
Bakker said the occupiers have been unlawfully occupying the subject property since 2019.
“The City of Cape Town which was cited as a respondent in this matter identified and offered alternative accommodation in Mfuleni for the unlawful occupiers. We are informed the accommodation is suitable.
“This is the most suitable option that could be identified in terms of the City’s emergency housing programme.”