A video shows another side of this week’s eviction of illegal squatters in central Johannesburg, reports Mduduzi ka Harvey
A VIDEO cassette in the possession of the Weekly Mail & Guardian strongly supports claims by squatters forcefully evicted from Claridge Court in central Johannesburg this week that police played a part in the trashing of their property.
While public attention has focused on the illegal occupation, as well as on snipers who shot at police carrying out legal evictions, this video, which was shot on the second day of the evictions, shows men throwing beds, music systems, furniture and other household appliances out of upstairs balconies on to the streets below. It also shows teargas being fired at the crowds.
Squatters claim that on Monday, the first day of the evictions, policemen entered the apartments and destroyed property, stole belongings and burned flats.
Squatter Ester Ngwenya said she returned from night duty to find her neighbours evicted and her television, video recorder and radio missing.
“None of the tenants could have taken them as they were busy salvaging their own things. I strongly suspect the police,” she said.
She also claimed she saw police opening bags and starting a fire that destroyed two flats on the same night.
Another squatter, Matshidiso Mashigo, echoed Ngwenya’s sentiments, saying: “After being thrown out and having police take our money, we saw the flats burning. We told the police, but they did nothing. When we tried to enter the building to fight the fire, they said they would shoot anyone who tried to enter.”
These allegations were denied by South African Police Services spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Eugene Opperman. He called on the squatters to make their statements under oath. He added that the police had been summoned by security guards after the building and three shops had been set alight.
Later on Monday evening, petrol bombing and gun battles ensued as snipers, barricaded into the flats, shot at police in the process of evicting squatters who had reoccupied flats. A policeman was shot in the leg during a shootout.
It was only after a two-hour search that a suspect was arrested, but police were fired upon by another sniper soon afterwards.
The clashes continued on Tuesday. Witnesses claim police arrived at about 9pm to re-evict squatters who had reoccupied the apartments.
After the evictions four armed policemen remained behind to prevent squatters from entering the flats.
But squatters claim the remaining policemen allowed another group of police, as well as members of a private security firm, into the flats. Within minutes, loud crashing sounds were heard from behind the building.
On investigation, the squatters claim, they saw police throwing their property out of windows on the fourth floor. The video shows men walking up and down corridors, entering flats and throwing household items to the street below.
The squatters confronted the police at the entrance to the building, questioning them on who was inside.
On camera, one of the policemen says: “There are no tenants inside. It is only captain and a few people who have come to collect their clothes.”
Squatters claim that, when the people inside the building were about to leave through the main entrance, teargas was fired at the crowds. This, they say, was a ploy to prevent them from identifying those responsible for damaging their property; as soon as the gas had subsided, the police left the scene.
Police spokesman Warrant Officer Andy Pieke denied these claims. “Police were not under instruction to help in the evictions. They were not supposed to take part in the removal of items. If this did occur and the squatters can identify the police involved, they have the right to civil action,” he said.
Pieke added: “We know residents are upset. They have levelled many allegations against us, they have a grudge against us, but we will continue to monitor the situation.”
The actions of the police were strongly criticised by the Johannesburg Tenants’ Association (Jota), which condemned police shootings and called on the government to declare a moratorium on all evictions. But the government was equally unimpressed with the way Jota was handling the housing problem.
The MEC for Housing, Dan Mofokeng, came out strongly against Jota’s actions this week, saying the government could not interfere with an eviction order issued by the supreme court. “If the squatters break the law and violate the rights of others, then the government must act.”
Mofokeng also criticised Jota for failing to attend meetings aimed at solving the housing problem. He added that squatting was discouraging investment in Johannesburg, with people showing greater interest in investing in areas like Midrand.
The squatters, on the other hand, said the government had been dragging its feet.
Squatter Matshidiso Mashigo said: “We have been sleeping at Johannesburg station and in parks. Then we found this building which has been empty for the past four years.
“We took over, cleaning it, painting it and repairing toilets and sewage pipes, because the government was just talking and doing nothing.”
She said the 42 families occupying the flats had each put aside R250 to pay for their lodgings. “We are not going to move from here until someone takes our problem seriously,” she said.
An urgent meeting is being arranged between the premier of the PWV, Tokyo Sexwale, and Jota members to discuss the evictions.