South Africa’s Gauteng police are reportedly on high alert this evening as Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supporters threaten to claim unoccupied land in Etwatwa on the East Rand, Eye witness news reported.
According to news sources, EFF has declared Monday ‘national land occupation day’ in commemoration of Jan van Riebeek's arrival in the Cape, on this day in 1652. The party’s provincial spokesperson Ntobeng Ntobeng reportedly said EFF will not be intimidated. Meanwhile, EFF leaders say Etwatwa residents have agreed to claim vacant counsel land in the area. “The municipality has sent cops to shoot at the community, they must not do that because if they continue to that they will become the community’s enemy.”
Earlier, private land owners in Cape Town were asked to keep an eye on their properties amid fears of illegal land grabs. The City of Cape Town on Monday claimed the Ses’khona People’s Rights Movement and the EFF publicly threatened to illegally occupy state and privately-owned land.
Ses'khona has since distanced itself from the threat but the EFF said land grabs was part of the party's mandate. Rondebosch Common and other city-owned land have been mentioned as targets of these alleged planned land grabs. The EFF's Nazier Paulsen said land expropriation was what the party's voters wanted ( Eye Witness News)