Howell Estate eviction not going ahead - for now

Earlier today, residents took to the streets again over their housing situation. 

There has been a heavy police presence in the area. 

One resident told resident says they had heard that the Red Ants had been waiting at the top of the road to evict them this morning.

''The police kept hanging around here and that made us a bit nervous, so none of us went home. And then Human Settlements [officials] came and met with our committee to discuss a way forward. We're tired now. We want our houses. We can't be doing this forever," she said.

The property owner, First Metro Housing has issued eviction notices to the residents. 

But the residents, some of who have told Newswatch they have lived in the homes for nearly 15 years, have been angered by the move.

They are adamant that when they moved in, they were under the impression they had gone into a rent-to-own agreement.

First Metro Housing, which is a social housing company, denies this. 

They have also not been commenting on the matter, referring reporters to the Department of Human Settlements. 

A meeting between the residents' legal representatives and officials from the department's Rapid Response Task Team had initially been scheduled for Monday morning at the provincial offices of the Human Settlements Department. 

However, when the Howell Estate group arrived there, they were read an email informing them that the meeting has been postponed.

The Howell Estate committee wants the department to intervene.