Gugulethu land occupation continued over the weekend
By Vincent Lali
26 February 2018
On Sunday, Gugulethu residents expressed their anger over a lack of housing by blocking NY1 with a bus shelter, bricks and burning tyres. Residents also forced churchgoers to remove the Gospel Church of Power constructed of wooden planks and corrugated iron sheets to make way for shack building.
Community leader Melvin Tshabalala said, “We have told the church leaders to remove the church from the land. We want them to show us evidence that they either had bought the land or they are renting it.”
“If the City says it is removing informal structures from the land, then it must also remove the church because it is also an informal structure,” said Tshabalala.
He said the church had been on the otherwise vacant land for about 25 years.
A churchgoer, who ask not to be named, protested against the removal. He said, “I used to use drugs, but the church changed my life and made me a child of God. It pains my heart to see my fellow churchgoers take it apart.”
The churchgoers loaded pieces of furniture from the church on vehicles.