JOHANNESBURG - As South Africa escalates her clean up campaign in preparation for the World Cup, Zimbabweans have been found on the receiving end. The government has been forcibly removing people from dilapidated houses to prepare for renovation. Some Zimbabweans had been squatting in these buildings with no electricity or water and found themselves on the streets after police ordered everybody out of the building.
This happened in the Chambers court in Jeppe, Gerrysbroke in Hillbrow and Cranksome Towers in Central Johannesburg, to mention a few. Talent Ngwenya told The Zimbabwean that she was stranded after being evicted from their central Johannesburg flat.
At least we were saving by not paying rent, but now I have no where to put my belongings. I will go and squat with my friends, she said. The police closed the buildings by welding metal rods across their entrances. Some Zimbabwean nationals are now sleeping in the open, and many have complained of having to flee the building without their possessions.
Antony Zikhali said: The police took away everything from my tuck-shop. I had a valid license and it was displayed but they were rude and they told me to return to Zimbabwe. The Hillbrow police station commander, Captain Bhekizizwe Mavundla, said:
We are simply preparing for the world cup and we are not targeting any nationality. We raided and closed that flat in Hillbrow because prostitutes and robbers resided there. The occupants were illegally occupying that flat and were not paying rent.
Post published in: Politics