Cape Town - Residents-led Knysna United has accused local law enforcement officers of discrimination and illegal dealings after allegedly destroying a young couple's house in Karatara.
The association has accused the law enforcement officers of being “bully-like” and specifically targeting members of the coloured community.
“They have adopted a bully-like style and carefully choose their targets. Their targets would always be those who they think can’t defend themselves, and most of the time, it would be the Coloured community,” they said.
The residents allege that two weeks ago, law enforcement destroyed a house belonging to a young couple in Karatana.
“Their only sin was they needed a place to stay. Knysna law enforcement came with the Red Ants, broke down their house, and totally destroyed their last belongings.
“Now the question is: who gave law enforcement the order to break down the house of this couple because that’s an illegal decision? That person(s) who be charged and that person(s) should compensate the couple for the loss of property and pain and suffering,” they added.
The group has also questioned where the Red Ants' order to come in and destroy houses came from.
“Why are the Red Ants still being used? Seeing that the community and councillors made it very clear that the Red Ants should never set their feet again in Knysna.
“The government made it very clear that no person could be evicted during the State of Disaster, and there was always a process according to the PIE Act before and after the State of Disaster which included a court order,” they said.
They have further accused Knysna law enforcement of intimidating and harassing a fruit and vegetable vendor at the Lamco service station.
“They wanted to forcefully remove him and gave him a few days to move; otherwise, they will forcefully remove him. Now all the above applies, and the question again is who gave that order and why are the municipality allow law enforcement to break the law and become a law unto themselves?
“Why does the municipality allow law enforcement to become a tool of discrimination because not one hawker or vendor from the Northern Areas have been harassed or removed by law enforcement? Why does law enforcement discriminate against Coloured areas and Coloured communities?” they said.
IOL