Marikana: The military should not be involved in eviction processes

20 April 2016

Reports today allege that the North West Provincial government and the department of Human Settlements has placed the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on standby to assist with the evictions of the people who illegally occupied RDP houses in Marikana Ext 2 should worry us all. Using the military to resolve a Human Settlements matter will do more harm than good in Marikana, especially given the history of the area. 

The situation in Marikana has been worsened by an ineffectual provincial government that has failed to provide leadership with respect to the Marikana Housing Development Project. We have been calling on the department to publish the names of the intended beneficiaries for over a year now. 

The DA has held that the military should only be deployed within our borders in exceptional circumstances and as an auxiliary to the SAPS. As such I will be writing to President Jacob Zuma to brief Parliament in terms of section 203(1) of the Constitution by which the President is bound. 

It is our belief that the court order obtained by the provincial department can be enforced without involving the army. We don't want to see another bloodshed in Marikana. Trained public order Police should be sourced to calm the situation in Marikana and help with the peaceful and incident free evictions. 

 Before the eviction process can be taken forward, the province must make the list of approved beneficiaries public for both the BNG and rental units.

South Africa can ill-afford the risk of another Marikana and Parliament is constitutionally enjoined to demand answers in this regard.  

Issued by Makushule Gana, DA Shadow Minister of Human Settlement, 20 April 2016