Desperation of homelessness
posted by megan | 02.08.2008 20:40
Backyard dwellers occupy empty block of flats in Langa, Cape Town. 40 years is too long to be homeless, living in someone's backyard and not considered by the government as an urgent case.
Saturday 2 August 2008
9:30am
GUGULETU, CAPE TOWN - About 250 backyard residents from Langa, Nyanga and Guguletu are going to occupy some empty flats at 10:30am today.
The flats are the yellow flats behind Joe Slovo camp in Langa.
The residents have experienced floods every year but have never been catered for because they are the backyarders. The residents have been waiting for up to 40 years for house. Residents feel that now it is their turn to receive houses.
Many of today's group are pensioners and even people of up to 80 years of age. They are embarking on a peaceful occupation and hope there will be no violence from the SAPS. If there is, the AEC will not hesitate to sue the Minister of Safety and Security for damages. We are going to be documenting the police action very carefully today.
"Today is the turn of those pensioners who never received houses, to get theirs" said a community spokesperson.
UPDATE:
Press Update
2 August 2008
4:30pm
The backyarders did manage to occupy unoccupied flats in Langa. The first preference was given to elderly people. These people were already inside their new homes.
But then suddenly a small group of people from a nearby informal settlement attacked. We said "we are all together in the same situation of not having houses. We are not enemies". The backyarders did not fight back and suffered serious injuries. One resident is seriously injured in Somerset hospital. Others have been taken to Guguletu and Vanguard hospitals. Journalists were also injured and were taken to hospital.
One elderly woman was lying on the ground and a lot of men were beating her. We have photos of this.
People risked their lives to get houses today. This will go down in history. Backyarders plight has been ignored for so long and this is the result. We blame the government for the injuries that we incurred today. They have failed dismally to deliver houses and shack dwellers across the country are getting desperate for a better life.
Tomorrow there is a mass meeting at Guguletu Sports Complex at 2pm to discuss the way forward.
9:30am
GUGULETU, CAPE TOWN - About 250 backyard residents from Langa, Nyanga and Guguletu are going to occupy some empty flats at 10:30am today.
The flats are the yellow flats behind Joe Slovo camp in Langa.
The residents have experienced floods every year but have never been catered for because they are the backyarders. The residents have been waiting for up to 40 years for house. Residents feel that now it is their turn to receive houses.
Many of today's group are pensioners and even people of up to 80 years of age. They are embarking on a peaceful occupation and hope there will be no violence from the SAPS. If there is, the AEC will not hesitate to sue the Minister of Safety and Security for damages. We are going to be documenting the police action very carefully today.
"Today is the turn of those pensioners who never received houses, to get theirs" said a community spokesperson.
UPDATE:
Press Update
2 August 2008
4:30pm
The backyarders did manage to occupy unoccupied flats in Langa. The first preference was given to elderly people. These people were already inside their new homes.
But then suddenly a small group of people from a nearby informal settlement attacked. We said "we are all together in the same situation of not having houses. We are not enemies". The backyarders did not fight back and suffered serious injuries. One resident is seriously injured in Somerset hospital. Others have been taken to Guguletu and Vanguard hospitals. Journalists were also injured and were taken to hospital.
One elderly woman was lying on the ground and a lot of men were beating her. We have photos of this.
People risked their lives to get houses today. This will go down in history. Backyarders plight has been ignored for so long and this is the result. We blame the government for the injuries that we incurred today. They have failed dismally to deliver houses and shack dwellers across the country are getting desperate for a better life.
Tomorrow there is a mass meeting at Guguletu Sports Complex at 2pm to discuss the way forward.
posted by megan
