The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality says it will open a case against the SANDF for illegal City Hall dumping, intimidation, trespassing and malicious damage to property.
Armed, aggressive and confrontational SANDF soldiers on Friday illegally occupied Vuyisile Mini Square and dumped 5 truckloads of furniture in front of the Municipality's City Hall.
About 30 soldiers, led by Mr Mcotoyi (unknown rank), arrived in front of City Hall and began offloading the furniture, which they claimed they had in their possession as a result of an eviction from their base earlier this morning, which we have since learned was also illegal.
Mr. Mcotoyi indicated that the instruction was sent "from Pretoria", which Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who I personally spoke to over the phone, denies having any knowledge of. The Minister committed to intervening and conducting an urgent investigation, which I will follow up on.
The SANDF has no absolutely right to dump anything on municipal property and has thus broken numerous by-laws and laws, for which there must be severe consequences.
Worse still, many soldiers were armed with assault rifles, fingers poised on triggers, loaded with full magazines. Upon departure, the soldiers proceeded to ram into and cause damage to a municipal vehicle and a small child was also pushed out the way by a senior soldier.
This unprecedented act by the South African Army is both undemocratic and unconstitutional, and has placed numerous lives and municipal property at risk.
The Municipality, through the Acting City Manager, is seeking an urgent court interdict against the SANDF as the soldiers claimed that they would return in due course with more furniture. A criminal case will also be opened for malicious damage to property, illegal dumping, intimidation and trespassing, amongst others.
The Municipality will also instruct lawyers to get a court order against the SANDF, demanding them to remove the furniture which is currently in front of the City Hall.
The Municipality will not allow acts of this nature to go unpunished and those responsible will be made to account in a court of law.
Issued by Nelson Mandela Bay Communications Office, on behalf of the Chief Whip, Cllr Werner Senekal.
