Pharoe Park residents left stranded after evictions

 

Residents of Pharoe Park in Germiston say they were not notified about the evictions carried out earlier today.

Approximately 450 families have been left stranded after being evicted from low-cost government flats they had occupied for years.

Authorities allege the tenants were occupying the buildings illegally and had consistently refused to pay rent.

According to the Ekurhuleni municipality, several eviction notices and warnings had been issued over time, but residents reportedly ignored them.

Tensions flared following the evictions, with some protesters allegedly setting fire to a nearby Home Affairs building in the Germiston CBD.

Emergency services confirmed that there were no casualties in the incident.

Two people have since been arrested for public violence.

Many residents, including women and children, now say they have nowhere to go.

A resident who has been living at the property for years claims they were given five-year lease agreements and were told they would be exempt from paying rent after that period.

The resident says they’ve been paying rent to the Ekurhuleni Housing, however, the name of the company keeps changing over the years.

Authorities from the Ekurhuleni municipality say they are investigating a case of arson.

“The City condemns in the strongest terms any acts of violence, destruction of public property or intimidation, and calls for calm and cooperation with law enforcement authorities.”

Regional secretary general of the ANC, Jongizizwe Dlabathi, has condemned the unruly and destructive act of torching a critical national key point.

He says such acts are criminal offences and must be treated as such, warranting the full and decisive application of the law.

“The deliberate destruction of such an important public office is tantamount to a violation of human rights and an attack on the state’s capacity to deliver essential services to its citizens.”

“Public infrastructure belongs to the people, and its destruction robs communities of access to vital services. ”