Update: Housing protest

Update Video

KNYSNA NEWS AND VIDEO - Rheenendal housing committee members are currently underway to the Knysna Municipality to discuss housing issues with mayor and Rheenendal ward councillor Eleanore Bouw-Spies.

According to residents the community is fed up with not only the municipality, but with Bouw-Spies herself.

They say she does not fulfill promises made regarding housing, and on numerous times have not met with the community as they had requested.

This brought the housing issue in the community to breaking point, and on Friday 18 May about 100 families started setting up informal dwellings on an old sports field near the entrance to the community.

Residents told the Knysna-Plett Herald that police acted irresponsibly since Friday evening, not only using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd, but many saying at least two actual gunshots were fired by police.

At the moment the situation has calmed down, but a tense feeling remains in the air until housing committee members can return to give feedback to the community.

Watch a video below.