Bankruptcy of responses to Macassar land occupation underlines Western Cape housing crisis

By Martin Legassick

21/5/2009

For more pictures including the ongoing camping by residents, click here.

land occupations in Macassar

On Tuesday 19th backyarders in Macassar, desperate for homes, built shacks on municipal land on a field adjoining the N2 – and were illegally evicted by Cape Town’s DA Helen-Zille-inspired Anti-Land Invasion unit, together with SAPS and Metro Police. Their building materials were confiscated and taken off in a truck. In the process four people (including a 2-year old child) were unnecessarily wounded by police rubber bullets, four people (including myself) were unnecessarily taken into custody and three of these wrongfully charged with public violence.

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The Macassar Village land occupation continues…

Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape Press Release
Friday 22 May 2009

The Macassar Village land occupation continues…

Tonight we spend our fourth night on this land. It is cold and rainy tonight but we will stand where we sleep! We will rebuild once again! We will not leave this land. This is our land, not because we are greedy, but because everyone needs some land and housing to provide a permanent home for their families. Backyards are not permanent nor adequate. They are oppressive.

This is not a game!

Gympie St Anti-Eviction Campaign Press Release

Friday 22 May, 2009

Event: Gympie residents to meet with Shehaam Sims (Mayco Housing) at 09h00 today

This is not a game! People’s lives are at stake.

Yesterday, Gympie Street resident Lydia Portland passed away. She had a stroke even though she was only in her 50s. While she was not among the two families who were evicted earlier in the week, she was the head of one of the families slated to be illegally evicted next week.

As close friends of Lydia, we are very sad and many of us are wondering if stress from looming eviction might have lead to Lydia’s death.  While we will never know for sure, we assert once again: This is not a game!