Baby dies as red ants demolish shacks in Zandspruit

As Red Ants continue to evict Zandspruit residents who allegedly occupied land illegally, it is understood that a six months old baby died because of their acts.

According to residents, Red Ants allegedly demolished the shack while the mother and the deceased six months old baby were still inside.

“Those people didn’t come to negotiate or anything. They came to destroy our houses and they didn’t care if there were people inside,” explains an angry resident Forget Baloi who allege that he was also injured by the Red Ants. “They beat my leg with and iron rod, I can’t walk properly now.” Signs of injury were visible and Baloi explains that he was attacked by the Red Ants when he tried to pack some of the furniture that was in his shack.

EFF member, Lucia Mamburu says the baby was rushed to hospital shortly after the incident with an ambulance but was declared dead on arrival.

“We are still trying to understand what really happened, the mother is devastated and we can’t get enough information from her.”Mamburu confirmed their party was trying to get temporary shelter for the affected residents. ”

We approached a number of churches yesterday (Wednesday 9 July) but none were able to help. Today we are going to the local schools and see if they will be willing to accommodate the homeless families. She added that some families were fortunate because they slept at their relative. Families without relatives slept on the open field and burnt fires throughout the night to keep warm.

It is understood a number of residents also sustained injuries when Metro Police allegedly used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd that was about to protest against the evictions. One man alleges that rubber bullets were fired at him and his son even though they were not part of those who aimed to protest. “We were inside our shack and police came in and shot [at] us.” The man had visible injuries on his thigh and leg and says he was sent to Helen Joseph Hospital for medical treatment.

Residents were taken by surprise on Tuesday when Red Ants and hundreds of Metro police stormed into the settlement and executed evictions. Shacks were demolished on land that is said to have been illegally occupied by the settlement. The evictions continued on Wednesday but were surrounded by brutality from Red Ants and Metro Police.

“They are treating us like nobody how can you evict a person without notice, grab them with so much force and beat them. They are humiliating us in front of our children,” said another resident Jones Moagi.

Ward Councillor Maureen Schneeman has not returned our calls and SMSes about the evictions since they began on Tuesday.