15 Arrests after illegal invasion attempts in forest village

I am deeply concerned at yet another attempt to illegally occupy units that are currently under construction as part of the Forest Village Housing Development in Eersteriver.

It is alleged that just after midnight on Sunday morning, residents from Ward 108 gathered in the area, after being dropped off by taxis, close to the development. These residents forcibly opened and invaded 8 units. The preliminary investigation indicates that back doors were forced open with crowbars, and the estimated damage is currently siting at R 100 000.

Details will be provided pursuant to the conclusion of the investigation.

I commend the Law Enforcement, Public Order Policing (POPS) and local security for their swift response in this matter. Further units could’ve been damaged had it not been for their intervention.

Those arrested must face the full might of the law, as we cannot allow any lawlessness in our society. Illegal occupations cannot be condoned as it hampers the delivery of houses to the very people that need it most. Our particular focus is on the most vulnerable and needy in our communities to ensure they are prioritised for housing delivery.

This project, which costs R1,1 billion, commenced in January 2016 and is expected to be completed by December 2020. It will yield 4820 housing opportunities.

I’d also like to urge all citizens who need housing assistance from government, to download the WCGApp in the Google Play store, to either register for the first time or update their details, particularly if contact information has changed since registration.

This App places the Western Cape government in the palm of our people’s hands, which means they no longer have to leave the comfort of their homes to be assisted. The App also ensures that the spread of COVID-19 is curtailed, as residents is not required to engage any public space.

As the Western Cape Government, we remain committed to accelerating human settlement delivery, while promoting social inclusion through the development of integrated, resilient, safe and sustainable human settlements in an open opportunity society.