27.09.2012
The case against an ANC ward councillor charged with malicious damage to property after allegedly demolishing a women’s shack, was postponed in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Cnlr Monde Nqulwana and 14 community leaders from Khayelitsha’s RR informal settlement stand accused of destroying resident Mandisa Selani’s shack on April 12 after she criticised Nqulwana on a local radio station.
Selani said she was one of a number of people who were supposed to be relocated to Mfuleni in April this year to make way for bulk services to be provided to the densely built-up informal settlement and provided all the necessary documentation to Nqulwana.
According to Selani, Nqulwane told her and her neighbours that they will be moved to Mfuleni but her name never appeared on the list of people to be moved.
She said when she confronted Nqulwana he did not answer her questions but called a residents meeting and announced that he was being confronted by Selani.
“My biggest mistake was to take the matter to Radio Zibonele. Another meeting was called, they told me to pack my things and leave RR. The meeting was called by Nqulwana. Resident accused me of speaking badly about the councillor. I told Nqulwana, I will leave the area but I needed more time to find a new place. He chased me away from meetings, they (community leaders) told me I should stop attending meetings,” said Selani.
Then on April 12 Selani’s shack was demolished.
“They came singing, Nqulwane was behind them. Some of the leaders told me that they came to vandalised my shack. Within minutes the shack was down, they couldn’t even wait for me to remove my things. Nqulwana was there watching,” she said
Selani, who is mother to four children, is now moving from place to place.
“I do not have a place to stay with my children. End of this month the owner of the house that I’m renting wants to move in and I will be homeless again,” she said.
Nqulwana could not be reached for comment.
The case was postponed until October 30 to allow Nqulwane to appoint a lawyer. The other 14 accused said they would defend themselves. – Nombulelo Damba
