Lindiwe Mazibuko slams city of Cape Town for 'stripping people of their dignity' during Khayelitsha evictions

Former DA MP Lindiwe Mazibuko has criticised the leadership of Cape Town after evictions of Khayelitsha residents on Wednesday.

She said the timing of the evictions, amid a global pandemic and in the middle of winter, was wrong and further criticised the manner in which the evictions were carried out, saying they were violent and stripped the vulnerable of their dignity.

“Where is leadership in the city of Cape Town?", she asked.

The city found itself in hot water as scores of South Africans reacted to the evictions, particularly the viral video of a man who was removed from his shack while he was naked.

The actions of the officials have been described as inhumane and the city slammed for its perceived disregard for the poor and vulnerable. It issued a public statement on Wednesday, saying it would suspend the metro police officers involved in the eviction.

“The city takes these allegations seriously and while our staff are subjected to very challenging circumstances while carrying out anti land invasion operations, which are to protect land earmarked for housing opportunities and other services, we will not condone violence of any nature by our staff," the statement reads in part.