Rubber bullets fired at Pretoria land grabbers

Tshwane metro police fired rubber bullets at Nellmapius, Pretoria, residents attempting a "land grab" on Wednesday.

Just before 1pm, people threw stones at the metro police, who retaliated by firing rubber bullets.

The stone-throwers ran into the informal settlement to hide and the metro police, in a Nyala, pursued them firing more rubber bullets.

A few minutes later the residents began emerging again.

Prior to this, Economic Freedom Fighters supporters set off in search of the ward councillor Precious Marole.

The Nyala came out of the informal settlement and followed this group up the street, and then fired more rubber bullets.

This group apparently blocked Old Bronkhorstspruit Road with rocks and tree branches, and lit fires in the road.

Police then began removing the objects blocking the road.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

According to EFF Nellmapius branch chairman Vusi Msiza the land invasion began on Sunday.

"We found people on the land who were trying to erect shacks," he told residents earlier.

"As the EFF found them here, then we decided to support the community because we are all affected by this."

He said people were tired of waiting for RDP houses, but wanted land on which to build their own houses.

"Some people who applied for houses in 1998 haven't got them yet.

"There are people who were removed from their houses in this area but those close to the councillor were not removed.

"It's not right that certain people from certain parties benefit."

He said the crowd would not leave because it was waiting to see Marole.

ANC Gauteng spokesman Dumisa Ntuli on Tuesday said the land had been earmarked for low-cost housing development.

Also on Tuesday EFF national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the party supported land expropriation but would not directly comment on the events in Nellmapius.

"If branches of the EFF have taken the initiative to join homeless communities, even if they are leading, as we always said we will be at centre of community protest struggles... they are acting within the [ambit] of EFF policies."