MORE than 20 foreign-owned spaza shops were looted on Monday, following a failed invasion of land by backyard dwellers in Mbekweni, near Paarl.
Western Cape police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut said: “The violence was sparked by an interdict to remove a group of people who occupied land which belongs to the Drakenstein Municipality.
“In the process, municipal property was vandalised and spaza shops looted.”
Traut said two suspects were arrested for being in possession of looted items.
On Sunday morning, the group who tried to invade the land were removed by Red Ants while cops fired tear gas and rubber bullets.
On Monday afternoon, the Mbekweni Backyard Dwellers Committee held a meeting with the municipality, but the parties could not reach an agreement.
South African Civic Organisation member Siyabulela Mandyoli said: “They asked for records and we told them they are the ones who keep them. We are not going to meet with them again.”
Quincy Bhongo, chairman of the Mbekweni Backyard Dwellers Committee, said: “We will carry on building shacks. We are not invading, but moving onto our land.”
Drakenstein Municipality mayor Conrad Poole said: “The discussions ended without a resolution. We suggested another meeting to discuss the matter further.”
