Building battle leaves tenants on the streets

With all their belongings thrown into the street, the former residents of 3 Hardy Street in Marshalltown, Johannesburg, have been forced to brave the bitterly cold winter nights without shelter.

Two weeks ago the Red Ants evicted about 300 residents, forcing many families, some with children as young as three, out into the street.

"They locked us out like animals," said Sithembele Nozibele, 19, who has not attended his drama studies at the Hillbrow Theatre since the eviction.

Another resident, who has lived in the building for 12 years, Mduduzi Dlamini, said: "We are suffering . we have no food, no water. We make a fire at night to try to keep warm."

The Johannesburg metro took over the building - which many of the residents have called home for more than 10 years - in 2005.

In 2009, the residents approached the council with an offer to collectively purchase the building for R350000.

The offer was accepted and the residents were on the verge of obtaining a clearance certificate from the municipality.

But in October 2011 they discovered that the building had been purchased by Consolidated Urban Corporation at an auction.

Consolidated Urban managing partner Paul Berman yesterday said that after the purchase meetings were held with the residents.

"We offered what we could, but hijackers in the building keep pushing people," he said.

On Friday last week, the residents challenged their eviction in the Johannesburg High Court and Judge Frans Kgomo ruled in their favour.

Consolidated Urban appealed.

Today the high court will be asked to order that the residents be allowed to return to their homes while the appeal is being heard.