A land war brewing between Mitchells Plain and Siqalo residents may have been stoked by the actions of the landowner, Ross Demolition, according to former Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille.
De Lille, who was at the opening of the new Municipal Court in Lentegeur on Friday in her capacity as mayor, said the landowner was “playing games” and had put a condition of sale on the land which had caused a problem.
“We cannot buy disputed land. The owner is playing around with us,” said De Lille.
Residents of Siqalo Informal Settlement along Jakes Gerwel Drive went on a rampage last week demanding land for houses.
Mohammad Tauriq Mohamed, 19, from Bayview, was killed when a taxi drove into a crowd and knocked him over, while two other men were shot, and 39 people arrested for public violence.
Monwabisa Futshalana, a spokesperson for Siqalo, said opportunistic skelms are responsible for Tauriq’s death.
He said two weeks before the riots, Ross had addressed Siqalo residents and allegedly told them that he had given the land to the City for housing.
“The land was ours he said, and because we did not hear from the City we embarked on the protest,” Futshalana said.
But Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements; Water and Waste Services; and Energy, Councillor Xanthea Limberg said the land was not fit for housing, and that Ross wanted too much money for the property.
“The amount Ross wanted for the property was in the multiple million rand range. In addition, one would have to spend a couple of millions to rehabilitate the land,” she says.
Ross did not respond to queries for comment.