THE community of Zwelihle regrets joining a backyarders’ protest in 2018.
A resident of the kasi in Hermanus, Western Cape, who didn’t want to be named, told Daily Sun they joined the backyarders when they protested for land to build shacks on.
But the resident say people living in RDPs are paying a high price since the establishment of the Marikana and Dubai informal settlement in the area.
“When we assisted them, we never knew it would backfire. Now, we are fighting because they keep making illegal connections to the electricity supply that belongs to us,” said the resident.
More than five transformers had to be replaced since the squatters moved in.
“We have been losing our electrical appliances and when we talk to them no one seems to care. The only thing they say is we don’t own the electricity,” she said.
Residents said the squatters like starting up fights, so they let them do what as they please.
“Remember, these people have nothing to lose. Every time there’s a fight, they damage our houses,” said the resident.
One of the squatters told the People’s Paper the owners of the RDPs thought they were better than them.
He said they never asked the RDP residents to join in their protests for better houses.
Said the squatter: “They should get used to whatever they are complaining about because we are going nowhere. We are here to stay.”
