Residents of Kathorus will get their homes back, writes Mduduzi ka Harvey.
But where will the illegal occupants live now?
THERE’S a ray of hope for more than 2 000 Kathorus families who were forced to flee their homes because of political violence between Inkatha Freedom Party hostel dwellers and ANC-aligned residents in the East Rand.
The newly formed Kathorus Task Group is looking at ways of evicting illegal occupants and giving owners their houses back. It was formed before the elections to look into ways of reconstructing and developing the townships of Katlehong, Thokoza and Vosloorus and is embarking on a plan that will demand illegal occupants to hand over houses.
According to KTG member Ariel Mabalane, they have formed Action Area Committees in four sections of Kathorus shared by residents and hostel dwellers: “These committees will meet and discuss, among other issues, ways of solving the problem of illegal occupation of houses.”
The committees will also include members of all political groups and community-based organisations. “The aim is to find a solution through dialogue and not by force.”
The Gauteng MEC for the reconstruction and development programme, Ben Turok, shares these sentiments: “A commission into the housing problem will be set up and when it is approved by government on February 2 it will immediately look into housing problems and hear evidence on every single house.”
The commission will comprise two community members, two legal practitioners and two bankers. “Their sole purpose will be to look into the legality of title deeds and permits,” said Mabalane.
But for home owners patience is running out. Former Khumalo Street resident Khehla Sibiya can’t wait to move from his make-shift shelter in Phola Park to the house he had renovated for R6 000 in 1993.
He recalls the day he left: “It was in January 1994. A red kombi drove past Khumalo, shooting at random towards our houses facing the hostel. I knew there would be trouble as township youths had attacked hostel dwellers the day before.”
Word went around that hostel dwellers were out for revenge on the same night. “There was no time to collect any of my belongings, only to take my family and go,” Sibiya said.
The thought of fetching his essentials faded when he was told Khumalo Street was a “no-go area”.
Sibiya knows that he will not recover his property which he values at over R15 000, but he wants his home back.
Tsepho and Sinna Mphahlele returned to their home in Phenduka section in March last year, after having been forced out two months earlier. They had hired a van, hoping to retrieve their belongings, but they were met by the new occupants who insulted them and threatened to beat them up. “I pleaded with them just to give us our furniture which we were still paying installments for. I told them they could keep the house, but one man told me to ask (Nelson) Mandela for my furniture,” said Sinna Mphahlele.
Attempts to get assistance from the police to force the illegal occupants out were discouraged by her relatives. “They told me I would be targeted and my house would be burnt down. That’s when I realised there was nothing I could do,” she said.
For Patrick Mogotsi things were different. As he passed his house in Slovo section he found a group of dagga- smoking, gun-slinging youths perched on the veranda. The windows had been reinforced with corrugated iron, but unlike other houses his had not been burnt down.
“I was confused. When I asked I was told the house was a self-defence unit base and the youths were protecting residents from Inkatha,” he said.
Many of the displaced home-owners settled in nearby Phola Park squatter camp and discussed attempts to get their homes back, but they felt taking the law into their own hands would only result in more bloodshed.
“We are aware that people are eager to return to their houses, but if we start using force, this would create much more serious problems,” said Mabalane.
Some illegal occupants say they have no problem with leaving the houses, but they are demanding replacements. “I can go anytime, as long as I have a roof to go to,” said one.
Asked why she did not return where she had come from, she said: “I used to sleep in the bushes near Alberton because I had no home. When I was told there were free houses for Zulus in Thokoza I came.”
But Zama Mkhize, a former Kwesine hostel dweller, says he won’t move until he is compensated for repairs he made to the house. “I took over the house about a year ago. It was a mess. The owner will be proud of it now. I know it is not my house, but I did not chase anyone out. It looks better than what it was. I don’t mind going to the highest court to state my case.”
Most residents see the problem of illegal occupants as a potential threat to peace, believing they will not leave until they are forceably removed.
Turok sees things differently: “There will be no need for legal action. All we will do is hear evidence to determine the legal owner. If the occupants don’t own the house they will have to go back where they came from, or if they need a house they will have to join the waiting list like all the rest.”