From page 1
“And then the legal eviction process can begin by all means. Then we can go through this. Our human rights have been taken away by saying once we leave the premises we are not allowed to return. This is the government that promised us a better life. A better life for all.
“We even asked the Department of Public Works whether we could rent the premises with an option to buy. We do not want it for free. Again we were told it did not do business with communities.”
Many of the evicted families, who now reside with family or once again have become backyard dwellers, were represented by Rochert Attorneys Inc, supported by Advocate Nino Hendricks. To cover the legal fees the group, on Fridays, sells potjiekos, burgers and boerie rolls.
“I think because we have been calm and peaceful the whole time, we are just not being heard or seen,” Swarts said. “We want to resolve this issue as peacefully as possible and just get on with it. We just want a roof over our heads and finally to be able to say we also have something in our community.”
The case was postponed and will resume on an agreed date suitable to both parties.
Hermanus Times reached out to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure for comment, but had received no response yet at the time of going to print.
