A street in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Dunkeld was lined with mattresses and scattered belongings as more than 50 people were evicted from a property that they say they had been occupying for more than 10 years.

Security company Red Ants descended on a property on Bompas Road following a court order issued in March against about 100 people who were illegally squatting on the property, notes a News24 report.

Derrick Mathabatha, who has lived there for more than 10 years, reportedly said those living on the property understood that they were there illegally.

‘We know we are here illegally, but the way they removed us is wrong and people’s things went missing. We are powerless. We know we are here illegally, but it doesn’t mean they should remove us like they did. At the very least, they should have given us a chance to pack our things,’ he said.

Velemina Cola, whose 14-year-old child was born on the property, says that, between 2003 and 2007, they were paying R100 in rent to a man who later died.

Hannes Jordaan, the lawyer representing the property owner, has disputed claims that people have been there for more than 10 years.

‘This property was hijacked to the max over December and January of this year. There were one or two people living here since lockdown last year, but from my understanding and instruction, it boomed over the last year, and people were renting out space on the property. There were illegal activities such as drugs and alcohol,’ he said.

The courts have given the group until 3 May to make submissions as to why the eviction order should not be made permanent.

Full News24 report