South Africa police clash with squatters

South African cities are surrounded by squatter camps

South Africa police have fired rubber bullets to disperse around 1,000 squatters refusing to be evicted.

Four people were hurt, according to the police.

There are no schools, no clinic, no transport, no police station there

Pipi Lepele
Squatter

Residents of Lenasia, 30km south-west of Johannesburg, say that the authorities have not provided facilities such as houses, running water or electricity at the site, where they are supposed to move to.

Since apartheid ended in 1994, the government has built more than one million low-cost homes but about 7.5 millions South Africans still lack decent housing.

The protesters used bricks and burning tyres to block main roads, reports the South African Press Agency, Sapa.

No facilities

The police took action when the squatters moved towards a nearby shopping centre, said police spokesman Richard Luvhengo.

"We needed to clear them out when they got near the mall or else they could have damaged property and started looting," he said.

Not everybody is poor in the squatter camp

Oupa Radebe
City councillor

The removals began on Monday but squatters say that only 20 people agreed to move.

The protesters wanted better facilities at the nearby settlement of Vlakfontein, where they are supposed to relocate.

"They want to move us there with these shacks. They must develop the houses first and then we'll move," said Pipi Lepele.

"There are no schools, no clinic, no transport, no police station there. We are better off here than there."

'Shebeens'

The authorities say that facilities have been provided but residents must pay a connection fee of R115 ($11) for water, sewerage and electricity.

Private security firms have been used to dismantle shacks

The protesters were also unhappy at the fee but local councillor Oupa Radebe told Sapa that the charge was affordable.

"Not everybody is poor in the squatter camp," he said.

"If you go to the shebeens, you'll see they are full.

"Those who can afford, should pay, and not take advantage of the people who are truly poor."