Hundreds of angry Mandela Park residents outside Mthatha in the Eastern Cape have vandalised and demolished houses allegedly built on their land without their consent.
They claim that homes of child headed families and widows were stolen by a local chief who resold them without their permission.
The demolitions were led by the South African National Civic Organisation. Chairperson of Mandela Park, Daluxolo Myeki says, “We are here to support the family …especially the orphans.”
Residents used anything at their disposal to demolish the houses and began demolishing an eight roomed house which was built next to an appalling two roomed flat which belongs to five children who are orphans.
Angry residents of Mandela Park allege that their chief sold this site for more than R45 000.
Myeki says they were there to protect them from the chiefs of the area which he termed “thugs”.
He says, “If there is no one who is occupying the space or the yard they just take the yard and sell it.”
Villagers say they live under terrible conditions because they are not sure when will they lose their homes to the local chiefs.
They say they will continue to protect child headed households.
The news owners of the houses could not be traced and the local chief could not be reached for comment. – SABC
