TENANTS of 125 RNS House were left stranded when the Red Ants evicted them on Wednesday morning.
A man who has a salon near the Tshwane flats told Daily Sun the eviction came after a court battle between the landlord and tenants.
He said the tenants had been withholding rent for six months because the flats were not well maintained.
“The flats have water but there isn’t electricity any more.
“The landlord took the tenants to court and the court ruled they had to pay the outstanding rent in instalments.”
“But the tenants boycotted the ruling. The landlord issued them with eviction notices in December.”
Tenant Joyce Leope (33) said the Red Ants barged into their flats at 6am. “They said they would kill us if we didn’t leave. One of them even pushed a mum and her two-month-old baby out the door. She could have fallen a long way down.”
Joyce admitted they were given eviction letters but said their lawyer told them he had taken care of it.
“We all put in money to pay the lawyer R98 000 after he initially asked for R200 000 but he’s not taking our calls now,” she said.
“We don’t know what we’re going to do. We are going to court tomorrow with the landlord.”
The tenants’ belongings were put outside a parking lot on Sophie de Bruyn Street. Some tenants claimed their money and other belongings were stolen during the move.
Captain Augustine Selepe said the eviction was ordered by the court and the police had nothing to do with it. “I can’t comment on the eviction. We were only there to make sure the situation was under control.”
