Evictions during lockdown are illegal – Dlamini-Zuma
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has slammed the eviction of residents during the national lockdown.
The notorious Red Ants demolished more than 80 shacks last week in Lawley, south of Johannesburg last week.
Residents were accused of illegally erecting their structures on privately-owned land. Similar evictions have taken place in Cape Town where law enforcement officials demolished illegally built shacks in Khayelitsha.
Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told Parliament's portfolio committee that these evictions counteract government's efforts during the national lockdown.
"When we thought we had things under control, then people starting evicting people during the lockdown.
"During this lockdown, we've tried to limit homelessness, but now if you start evicting people during this lockdown, then it means you are actually increasing this homelessness that we are trying to deal with but also, where do you say people must move to?"
READ: Johannesburg razes dozens of shacks amid COVID-19 lockdown
Dlamini-Zuma said regulations were gazetted to halt illegal evictions.
"That's why we brought the regulations to say evictions during the lockdown are not allowed."
But Dlamini-Zuma also warned land grabbers not to find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
"That does not say that you should go and occupy land or occupy a building illegally because you can't be evicted – you will be arrested if you do that."
The City of Johannesburg has since agreed to halt all demolitions following a meeting with the South African Human Rights Commission.
