According to one of the residents, they received letters stating rent will be increasing and if residents cannot pay it, they will be evicted. She further explained that the Free State Social Housing Company (Freshco) has been sending them from pillar to post saying that they have been temporarily liquidated and residents should speak to the liquidators if they have any worries.

‘’In the letters that we received, they threatened us and we are scared as this happened to other tenants at about this time last year. They say we are getting evicted because we do not want to agree to the rent increment. I am currently staying in a two-bedroom flat and paying R1900 but now they want to increase it to R5500 but they call it social housing.’’

On the other hand, the municipal spokesperson, Qondile Khedama, told OFM News that they are aware of the problems and as things stand, Freshco has been placed under administration. He said that the municipality will send two officials to go and help out. He said that since they learned of the liquidation, they have challenged it as they have a responsibility to protect the residents. They are still awaiting an outcome.

This comes almost a year after OFM News reported that residents at the Brandwag flats in Bloemfontein in the Free State are being evicted from their homes, with tempers flaring and scuffles breaking out between police and residents.

OFM News spoke to one of the residents who was being evicted who says they have nowhere to go. He says a Freshco member came knocking on their doors, telling all residents that they needed to be out.

OFM News