Olievenhoutbosch residents barricade roads amid eviction operation
Residents of Olievenhoutbosch Ext 27, near Centurion, have taken to the streets in an attempt to prevent the removal of illegally built structures by the Tshwane metro.
The residents barricaded the roads with rocks and burning tires on Wednesday morning.
Tshwane metro police spokesperson Isaac Mahamba says the protest affected several roads in the area.
“We can confirm that there is a protest at Olievenhoutbosch. All roads leading to Olievenhoutbosch are barricaded with objects and burning tyres.
“Affected roads include the R55, Thatchfield Road and the entrance by the Engen garage. Metro police are monitoring the scene.”
Mahamba says the metro wanted to remove the residents occupying land in the area, but this was not possible due to the protests.
“What we know is that the protest is due to the operation that was supposed to take place yesterday (Tuesday)
“There are shacks that are illegally erected in that area and TMPD accompanied the service provider to go and demolish those shacks, but that operation couldn’t take place yesterday and unfortunately, when we went there today they had already barricaded the road with burning tires.
“But at this stage situation is calm and the metro are on the scene monitoring and they will be there until everything goes back to normal.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) conducted an oversight inspection in the area on Monday.
The party’s Gauteng spokesperson for Human Settlements Solly Msimanga claims they discovered an empty space, where 2000 houses were to be built, invaded by an informal settlement.
“There is a new mushrooming informal settlement in the area in between the houses. According to the illegal occupants, specific individuals are selling pieces of land to illegal invaders.
“The 888 units of the Olievenhoutbosch Extension 27 have been illegally occupied since 2017. These houses were left incomplete without bulk infrastructure, where illegal occupants have made illegal connections.
Other illegal occupants state that their desperation to own dignified housing has led them to illegally occupy the units.
“Based on previous experience, the longer the housing projects remain unoccupied, the more likely they will become targets for illegal occupants, vandalism, and corruption.”
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