Mitchell’s plain eviction case postponed

By Tina George
30 January 2008

Approximately 100 residents from Freedom Park, Tafelsig marched to the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, to protest against the forced removal of informal shack-dwellers.

This follows after the shack-dwellers received an eviction notice three weeks ago that they had to appear in court on the 30, January 2008.

In support of the evictions residents marched from 112 Tafelberg Road to the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court.

“They say that they cannot help the people who live in shacks yet the people have been living there for over 10 years,” says spokesperson of the Tafelsig People’s Forum, Sharifa Abraham.

Abraham added that there are empty houses in the area; however the council does not want to allocate these houses to the families.

According to Abraham two families have been told to move out of their shacks.

“I am five months pregnant and I have two children. My shack is only one that’s still standing on Freedom Park. Most of the people in our section were accommodated for but they didn’t give me any house and I don’t have anywhere else to go with my children,” says one of the shack-dwellers, Nuraan Abrahams.

Abrahams does not know why she is the only one to not have received a house.

“Apparently it’s under investigation, I have contacted the Mayor three months ago and she appointed the project manager and I was handed a letter stating that I was one of 93 families that was under investigation.

“We will be looking at legal advice for our people at the ANC office,” says spokesperson for the Tafelsig Forum, Sharifa Abraham.

The court case has been postponed until 14, February 2008.