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Residents’ clash with Red Ants heats up!

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For the seventh time, Red Ants destroyed shacks at Retshwenyegile but this time they took the corrugated iron away.                           Photo by Samson Ratswana
For the seventh time, Red Ants destroyed shacks at Retshwenyegile but this time they took the corrugated iron away. Photo by Samson Ratswana

RUBBER bullets, teargas, stones and bottles flew through the air as residents of a squatter camp clashed with Red Ants and cops yesterday morning.

This came after the residents of Retshwenyegile in Mamelodi, Tshwane rebuilt shacks which had been demolished by the Red Ants last week.

Daily Sun published an article on Friday after the residents vowed to rebuild the shacks, which they started doing as soon as the Red Ants left. However, the Red Ants returned yesterday morning with the police and started destroying the shacks.

Soon insults were flying between the Red Ants and the residents. The situation heated up when the Red Ants approached the angry residents and had objects thrown at them. The Red Ants responded by throwing their tools, including pangas and hammers, at them.

Soon the residents were throwing petrol bombs and the police started firing rubber bullets and teargas.

The residents fled and the Red Ants started destroying the shacks for the seventh time.

However, this time they took the corrugated iron away.

Resident Petrus Mahlaba (30) told Daily Sun he didn’t know what he would do because he’d bought his shack on credit.

“This is daylight robbery and the Red Ants have no shame,” he said.

Merriam Mahlangu (35) said if residents had pangas and crowbars they would have won the fight. “We are coming back and next time we will be prepared.”

Councillor Jabu Mabona said residents were told not to invade land illegally. “We have a programme called Re Aga Tshwane to settle people properly and we encourage people to follow the right procedure when they want a place to live.”

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