By Johnathan Paoli
The City of Ekurhuleni has maintained that, despite ongoing protests, removals are proceeding in line with a June 26 court order targeting hundreds of residents accused of rent default or unlawful occupation of units.
Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza said that the evictions form part of a wider urban renewal initiative aimed at reclaiming hijacked buildings.
“Running up and down and allowing these things to happen contributes to lawlessness. Communities are in full support of restoring order,” he said.
Violent protests erupted in Germiston’s CBD on Tuesday morning as tensions over mass evictions at Pharoe Park boiled over into clashes with police, extensive property damage, and the torching of the local Department of Home Affairs office on President Street.
Emergency services responded swiftly as thick smoke billowed from the gutted upper floor of the Home Affairs building.
Police confirmed the arrest of two suspects in connection with the arson, while investigations continue to identify additional culprits.
The unrest coincided with a court-ordered eviction targeting alleged illegal occupants of government-owned social housing units.
Ekurhuleni Housing Company (EHC) CEO Zingisazi Nkamana explained that Pharoe Park comprises 440 units, but only 17 tenants consistently pay rent.
He added that the majority are reportedly part of a hijacking syndicate that collects money through subletting the units illegally.
“It is not true that residents were not notified,” he said, adding that unlawful occupants were represented in court proceedings.
EFF councillor Nkululeko Dunga defended the city’s stance, arguing that many residents are public servants including police officers, teachers, and nurses, who misrepresented their financial status to qualify for low-cost housing.
“There’s a significant portion not paying rates and taxes. We’ve had to evict those who do not qualify to be here,” he said.
Provincial Deputy Police Commissioner Fred Kekana said some residents blocked roads, set tyres alight, and pelted vehicles with stones to disrupt the eviction.
“In that process, a group of people came to this [Home Affairs] building and it was ultimately burned,” he confirmed.
Disaster management teams contained the fire before it spread to the lower floors, but vital paper records may have been lost.
Kekana insisted police acted swiftly.
“We were on the same street escorting the Sheriff when we got the call. Within minutes, we arrested two suspects,” he said.
Charges of arson, public violence, and malicious damage to property have been opened.
Ekurhuleni Metro Police Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi confirmed that approximately 1,000 people are affected by the evictions.
“This is the fourth court order. Those paying rent are left alone. However, some units are owned by state employees who sublet to foreign nationals and pocket the money. We will not turn back,” he said.
ActionSA condemned the burning of the Home Affairs building as “unacceptable and unlawful.”
Parliamentary Chief Whip Lerato Ngobeni acknowledged residents’ desperation but stressed that the destruction of public facilities “cannot be justified.”
She called for alternative forms of protest, warning that the fire may have destroyed irreplaceable records.
“We cannot promote the desecration of our infrastructure. The city was aware of the simmering tension at Pharoe Park. This required pre-emptive mediation, not just force,” Ngobeni said.
The Home Affairs branch, which served thousands in the area, is now closed indefinitely.
Residents needing ID documents, passports, and birth certificates will have to travel to neighbouring towns, adding further strain to already tense community relations.
Mayor Xhakaza reiterated the city’s determination to “push back on illegal activities” and attract investment into the CBD, warning that unchecked building hijackings risk turning public assets into “white elephants.”
By late afternoon, police maintained a heavy presence around Pharoe Park as debris from the morning’s violence was cleared.
The city has vowed to continue eviction operations in the coming days, even as community anger simmers.
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