The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has been accused of illegally evicting squatters in Wynberg at the weekend.
The group of more than 100 people was evicted on Sunday following reports of rampant crime in the area.
The structures were erected in 2021 during the Covid-19 lockdown and is located near the Yusuffeyah Mosque and taxi rank.
But residents have been complaining about drug use in public, crime and mense pooping openly in the streets.
On Thursday, four people were shot and on Friday someone was stabbed.
On Sunday, Prasa officials and private security guards went into the area and broke down the makeshift tents.
Wynberg Residents and Ratepayers Association spokesperson Philippa Duncan said there had been increasing pressure from the community to have the squatters moved.
Duncan says: “This was because of the fact that they are causing crime, they are using public areas as toilets. There’s been a massive rise in drug taking and crime.
“Prasa then went without alerting the local ward councillor and anyone else, to evict people over the weekend. This came from the fact that on Friday night there were four people who were shot.”
Local councillor Carmen Siebritz says Prasa’s eviction was illegal, explaining: “We have been trying to assist Prasa with the eviction, and advised the agency to go the proper route.
“An illegal eviction agreed upon between Prasa and external stakeholders in the Wynberg area was carried out on Sunday.
“Whilst I agree that every person has the right to worship in a clean and safe space, there are processes to follow.”
She says many of the squatters came from the Strandfontein Covid site, who were dropped off in Wynberg, opposite the William Herbert Sport Complex on Rosmead Avenue.
Siebritz adds: “The fact that the homeless made their way and settled on the hill next to the Yusuffeyah Masjied was a result of their choice and not the city.”
The councillor said Prasa removed the people but had no plans for them while the City social service only left with two people who agreed to be relocated at safe spaces.
She said the evicted squatters have now set up camp at another Prasa-owned property in Sandhurst Road.
Squatter Furell Leeman says: “We are going to fight, because other people smash shops and they get places.
“We have been shifted from place to place, and on Sunday no one explained to us why they were evicting us. And this happened after gangsters came to attack us.”
Yusuffeyah Mosque secretary Yunus Karriem said they’ve been dealing with the issue for three years and last year handed over a petition with 1300 signatures to Prasa.
Yunus explains: “Criminals, gangsterism, drugs and prostitution. Just Friday there was a stabbing, I don’t know if the person survived or he passed away.
“There were no services on that site and people would urinate against the mosque, defecating.”
PRASA’s acting regional manager, Moseli Ntseki, did not respond to queries.
He reportedly said the rail agency was forced to act due to the high levels of crime in that area.