An administrative bungle by Worcester municipal officials led to a mother and her children spending the night on the pavement, outside the mayor's office, in icy conditions. Yesterday morning shocked community members gathered to support the emotional mother.On Tuesday night, Catherona Africa, was evicted from the council flat she had lived in with her three children and three children she cares for. The sheriff of the court had all her belongings dumped outside."It is difficult. I don't want to let my children see me cry but I am so emotional. I want to know, why me? Why did this happen to me?'' said Africa sitting on her kitchen chair with all their belongings in a pile in the middle of town, as the children clambering over the mattresses around her.This is despite a promise by Worcester mayor Antoinette Steyn that Africa would not end up on the street following an administrative mistake by officials who took legal action against Africa in the Cape Town High Court.When Africa's parents, whom she lived with in the flat, were assigned an RDP house in Rawsonville the family struggled to get the rental agreement changed to Africa's name.Africa then approached the mayor for help.But the town's housing council allocated the unit to another tenant and successfully applied for the eviction order.According to local councillor Colin Wilschut, Africa had hitch-hiked from Worcester to the high court in Cape Town only to discover that her legal aid lawyer had agreed on a settlement and signed on her behalf.After residents, led by the Breedevallei Onafhanklik (BO) party, met mayoral committee members it was decided Africa would be housed in the city hall for 30 days.Acting director of community services Sion Swartz said they were willing to build a wendy house. But she has to find the land herself."R150000 in legal fees later they give her a wendy house, that doesn't make sense. They could have built her a good house with that money," said Wilschut.Hlengiwe Mtshatsha from Lawyers for Human Rights' land and housing unit said the municipality had a double duty to prevent eviction and provide alternative accommodation."This woman has minor children that she is looking after and it is a female-headed household. So if her personal circumstances were put before the court I don't think she would have ended up where she is, it is highly unlikely. I don't think the municipality would have been absolved either," said Mtshatsha.- Additional reporting Aarti J Narsee..