Central SA
Bloemfontein land grab: Those evicted at High Court for answers─── ZENANDE MPAME 10:16 Sat, 09 Mar 2024
“We want people to receive land and have the arrested people released from the holding cells.”
Evicted illegal land grabbers are gathered at the Free State High Court on Saturday (9/3) to get answers as to why their completed structures or shacks were demolished by the Red Ants on Friday morning (8/3).
They also want the arrested people to be released as they believe they did not do anything wrong. The case is delayed until 11:00.
The reason for the court delay is the lawyers are still in discussions. Photo: Zenande Mpame
“The reason for the delays is that the lawyers are still in discussions after the engagement yesterday regarding the land issue in Ward 18,” said the Mangaung spokesperson for the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco), Neo Lerumo.
"At the end of the day, we want people to receive land and have the arrested people released from the holding cells.”
Early Friday morning (8/3), the Red Ants descended on Lourier Park to demolish incomplete structures that were put up by illegal land occupiers following the court order granted to the Mangaung Metro Municipality.
The order compelled the city, sheriff of the court, and SAPS to demolish only incomplete and unoccupied structures – the first and second group of respondents.
The third group of respondents, who have already completed their structures and are occupying them, were not to be removed if they were not offered alternative housing.
Free State political parties celebrated the successful eviction of the land occupiers yet the evicted occupiers were left in despair.
This is a developing story.
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