In a swift operation following earlier demolitions in another area, the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, supported by South African Police Service (SAPS) officers, began evicting residents of the Ntabozuko informal settlement on Tuesday.
The settlement, located on land near a municipal landfill site, is being cleared in what authorities describe as a move to reclaim illegally invaded municipal property. The evictions come just hours after a similar demolition of houses in the Bhompini area.
An on-scene reporter witnessed law enforcement dismantling shacks as the operation got underway. While the municipality maintains the land was occupied without permission, affected residents argue they were driven to the site out of sheer desperation due to a lack of housing provision from the government.
One resident, who spoke to reporters, explained that the landfill site has been their home and primary source of income for several years. The community relies on recycling materials scavenged from the landfill, collecting clothes and metals to sell for a living. Their proximity to the site was described as essential for their survival, leading them to erect shelters nearby.
The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, however, stated it did not grant any permission for the land to be occupied.
The situation on the ground remains tense. A reporter at the scene noted smoke rising from the settlement, allegedly started by residents, though the exact cause was unclear. SAPS members remained stationed in the area as the demolitions continued.
The evicted residents now face an uncertain future, stating they have nowhere else to go. The operation highlights the ongoing and complex tensions in the Eastern Cape between municipal efforts to protect land and the dire housing needs of residents.