In what can only be described as civil war-like conditions, a police station was partially burnt in Hermanus and a tense standoff between police and "land-invaders" continues to escalate.
The incident occurred on Monday, and massive damage was inflicted on private property. At least 25 people were arrested in the town on the southern Cape coast, after scores of people marked out plots on vacant land.
According to TimesLive, Overberg police commander, Brigadier Donovan Heilbron confirmed that nobody had been injured in the fire.
🆘‼😱🔥 #SouthAfrica: Currently! Civil War-like conditions! Progressive land grab actions by a huge mob of black South Africans land-invaders, the police station in #Hermanus has already been attacked and set on fire! pic.twitter.com/5Tf5eX9HQx
— Onlinemagazin (@OnlineMagazin) March 26, 2018
Police retreats. Hermanus, South Africa. STAND YOUR GROUND! pic.twitter.com/9MtDFfNs1m
— Cryosphear (@Cryosphear) March 26, 2018
EFF proportional representation councillor in Overstrand Benet Molefe told TimesLive that the EFF was "taken aback by the lack of action from the municipality and the provincial government".
"The municipality is busy building low-cost housing‚ but the process of handing over is a close [sic] guarded secret and not transparent at all. The houses being built are not sufficient to service the needs of the poor," Molefe said
As the EFF is a proud advocate of land expropriation, it supported the occupation of land in Overstrand. Red Ant security personnel were called in on Friday to dismantle illegal structures and evict people who had occupied the land.
The unrest in the town was the subject of many posts on Twitter:
Something about this picture reminds me of Marikana. Will the SAPS be left to deal with another failed governance issue? Photo: @DJMarais / @Netwerk24#Hermanus#LandExpropriationpic.twitter.com/6RFs08sY22
— Adriaan Basson (@AdriaanBasson) March 26, 2018
Hermanus South Africa. The sleepy seaside town of wine, surf & whales currently under siege by destructive, land grabbers while the South African news media reports "nothing to see here, back to normal, safe to travel"... It's not! #Hermanus#ExpropriationWithoutCompensationpic.twitter.com/Jf7Nn1Ptyt
— riekiedplessis (@riekiedplessis) March 23, 2018
This happened. #hermanus but nobody is reporting on it. Gun shots, deaths, surely? pic.twitter.com/U46YhZVCk4
— Neal Collins (@nealcol) March 27, 2018
#Hermanus#SouthAfrica SITUATION CONTINUING AS WITNESSES REPORT INTIMIDATION OF AFRICAN SOUTH AFRICANS BY EFF NOT TO GO TO WORK. APPARENTLY 8 KILLED. WHITES ARE OPENLY TARGETED. MORE ATTACKS FEARED TONIGHT. pic.twitter.com/Jy0PW2iNRJ
— Yani Meyer (@YaniMeyer1) March 26, 2018
We need to help these people.Staff can't be at work today due to this riot.Their lives are in danger.They are being threatend.Their families are at risk.We need to pray for #Zwelihle#Hermanus#Strikepic.twitter.com/ak9HbpH7jy
— Francois Hugo (@fRANAzzZ) March 26, 2018
As it happens #hermanuspic.twitter.com/UGWPw0MQL0
— RED ANTS CAPE TOWN (@REDANTS_CT) March 26, 2018
Situation in #Hermanus not very good. Police on the scene and has increased their visibility. Illegal land invaders causing chaos. @mnqaselapic.twitter.com/8yW3A294jY
— Ricardo Mackenzie (@ricardomackenzi) March 26, 2018
Area still tense #hermanuspic.twitter.com/PJFKrgnSBK
— RED ANTS CAPE TOWN (@REDANTS_CT) March 26, 2018
I'm standing at yesterday's "ground zero" and my workers are threatened not to go to work. Who benefits from this behavior? This is NOT Hermanus residents!! #Hermanus#LandGrabspic.twitter.com/oQne1VgHpL
— Kwagga Boucher (@KwaggaBoucher) March 27, 2018
Feel free to follow our Hermanus Info Group where we try to update the situation in #Hermanushttps://t.co/njANwCx8jO#notoviolence#prayforhermanuspic.twitter.com/dZFfzVB4RV
— Hermanus Online (@HermanusOnline) March 26, 2018
Guess @BBCAfrica should have a look at #hermanus Videos on my TL, @southafrica media don't seem interested @PeterHain@Derek_Hanekompic.twitter.com/ARLVuc8EcE
— Neal Collins (@nealcol) March 27, 2018
