‘We were tricked then kicked out’

THE OWNERS of seven shacks in Snake Park accused Sol Plaatje Municipality of tricking them and then kicking them out after they were told to start the process of applying for plots from scratch.

The owners of the shacks were temporarily moved to make way for the development of bulk infrastructure, with the agreement that they would be among those who would be relocated to the extended phases being developed in Snake Park.

They now claim that the municipality has U-turned on this promise after waiting for almost two years for discrepancies around their plots and relocation to be sorted out.

According to them, they were disregarded when the time came for them to be relocated in October 2021, regardless of having sacrificed their homes to make way for the development of roads.

They claimed that the newly-elected ANC ward 16 councillor, Casper Rammutle, told them a few weeks ago that he does not know them or where they come from, so they must move.

The families said they are frustrated by the fact that even the municipality knows about them and their story.

When they moved to their promised land and started erecting their shacks, they became embroiled in an altercation with other community members who refused to allow them to erect their shacks.

The then ward councillor, Boitumelo Stout, who was an independent candidate, apparently made an arrangement for them to erect their shacks at a clearing next to Gogga Pump Station and provided them with water and a toilet.

According to them, they were told that the area that they moved to was earmarked as a business site, but it could later be turned into a residential area.

A representative of the affected families, Mary Gaoagwe, accused the municipality of stripping the people of their dignity.

Gaoagwe said the councillor was angry when they asked for the area to be cleared because it was a haven for reptiles.

“He told us straight to our faces that he does not know us.”

The municipality dismissed claims that Rammutle was arrogant.

Municipal spokesperson Thoko Riet confirmed that the families have to vacate the land and go and register from scratch at the Sol Plaatje Housing Department in order to be allocated plots.