SA evictions leave thousands homeless

The demolition of homes is continuing

Private security guards are continuing to demolish the shacks of thousands of poor South Africans that illegally squatted on unused and barren land near Johannesburg.

The land occupation has been declared illegal, and hundreds of people are now being moved off the site at Bredell, close to Johannesburg's international airport.

Many queued in the early morning to receive a loaf of bread and a cup of soup donated by the South African Council of Churches and the Zionist Church, one of the largest black denominations in the country.

Blankets have also been distributed to protect them against the winter cold.

Police deployed

At least a quarter of the homes, made of flimsy tin and wood, have now been dismantled and possessions are being taken to a warehouse about 20km away.

A political row has developed over who is to blame

Police have deployed about 300 personnel, and said they would remain "to provide protection as long as the security company keeps on disassembling the shacks".

But so far no violence has been reported.

"We don't expect any trouble because of high police visibility in the area," police spokesman Vincent Leshabane said.

A number of the squatters have been seen loading their belongings on trailers and trucks and leaving.

Failing homeless

Those who refuse to move say the authorities have not offered them alternative accommodation and they have nowhere else to go.

Some squatters say they have nowhere else to go

The squatters had paid $3 each to the opposition Pan Africanist Congress party, (PAC), for a plot. The PAC has accused the government of failing to provide housing for the homeless.

But the government says it is determined to prevent illegal land occupations and has said it will use all legal means to prevent the kind of situation in neighbouring Zimbabwe from occurring here.

South Africa correspondent Rageh Omaar says that the situation the government finds itself in is an acutely uncomfortable and embarrassing situation for them, but one that they feel they cannot avoid.

The scenes have also become an uncomfortable reminder of the forced evictions of black South Africans from their homes which were common during the apartheid era.

Land distribution is a highly charged issue in South Africa, where the white minority still owns much of the best land.

Since the end of apartheid seven years ago, the government has built just over one million low-cost homes, housing more than five million people, but a further 7.5 million South Africans are estimated to still lack proper homes.