A member of the Khoisan community who only identifies himself as Vhillem (left) and Ruben Rustoff stand next to their belongings after they were finally removed from the Union Buildings on Monday.
Cape Town - After regarding the Union Buildings as their home since 2018, the Khoisan community who had been camping there since then, have finally been evicted.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure confirmed that the eviction order granted by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria on December 11, was enforced by law enforcement officials on Monday.
Spokesperson for the department, Lennox Mabaso, said it should be noted that no appeal or opposition has been received against this court order by any interested parties.
“While the department expresses its sympathy with the serious grievances of the Khoisan community, no single person has the right to claim or occupy public space intended to be used and enjoyed by all South Africans.”
Mabaso said the department worked and consulted with all stakeholders, including other government departments and the City of Tshwane, before the order was enforced to assist all individuals who were willing to return home.
Asked where they will now go, the pair said they have no idea, “but one thing is sure, they will soon be back”.
Rustoff explained that the first police officers arrived at the Union Buildings around 5am and surprised them.
According to Rustoff, several of their live chickens were also missing. Vhillem, meanwhile, said they were surprised by the early morning raid and had no time to eat.
While they called President Cyril Ramaphosa a coward for allowing this to happen to them, they vowed to tell US President Donald Trump about the treatment they are receiving from the Government.
They said their leader King Khoisan, who has been discharged from hospital after he was in a car accident last month in which his wife died, was not there on Monday when the eviction took place.
“They knew he was not here and that is why they did it today,” Rustoff said.
King Khoisan SA, in responding to the eviction order last month, said they did not know what would happen after their eviction.
“But we are saying we will still be here until the government starts engaging with us on the issues why we are here in the first place. We have been here since November 30, 2018.”
“We think that Khoisan people have been silent for quite a long time. We know that the Khoisan people are the first people of the land. So, it means we are rightfully the owners of the land,” he said.
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