A violent clash between residents and Law Enforcement officers in Factreton, Cape Town, over the weekend left a 16-year-old boy severely injured, losing his eye, and led to the appearance of a professor in court. The incident took place on 18th Avenue, where tensions escalated due to an ongoing dispute over the increasing number of illegal structures in the area. While the City of Cape Town’s Anti-Land Invasion and Law Enforcement units aimed to remove these structures under a court order, residents claimed they were forced to relocate due to flooding.
According to Ward Councillor Cheslyn Steenberg, the protest was triggered by the actions of Law Enforcement, who allegedly fired at residents indiscriminately while attempting to dismantle what they termed “illegal structures.” Steenberg criticized the heavy-handed approach of the authorities, stating that such actions should have been carried out by the South African Police Service (SAPS), not the City’s Law Enforcement officers. He urged those who were shot to file formal complaints. Steenberg also called on both the Ndabeni Trust, which owns the land in question, and the City of Cape Town to engage in open dialogue with the community to address the growing concerns regarding the land dispute.
One of the victims of the violent altercation was a 16-year-old boy who, according to his mother Taygan Swartz, was not involved in the protest. The teenager was struck by a rubber bullet fired into the crowd and lost his eye as a result. This incident has sparked outrage, with many questioning the tactics used by Law Enforcement. The clash also resulted in several other innocent bystanders being injured.
In response to the incident, Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason explained that the Anti-Land Invasion Unit, along with Metro Police, arrived at the scene at around 9:20 am to assist with the removal of illegal structures in line with a court order issued by the Ndabeni Trust, the landowner. However, when officers arrived, they were met with a hostile response from the community, including gunfire, stones, bottles, and the setting of tyres alight to block the authorities’ actions. In retaliation, officers fired rubber rounds to protect themselves and control the situation. Three people were arrested for public violence and interfering with police duties.
The situation was later handed over to Public Order Policing, which conducted a meeting with the community. The authorities managed to remove the materials for 12 structures and dismantle four, which were transported to Ndabeni for safekeeping. Dyason confirmed that no officers were injured, and the incident would be investigated once formal complaints were received.
Professor Brian Williams, along with three others—Enrique Pipers, Abdul Malik Losper, and Nathan September—were arrested during the clash and appeared in the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court. They were granted bail of R300 each, and the case has been postponed to March 19 for further investigation. Despite efforts to reach Williams for comment, he could not be contacted for a statement on the matter.
As the investigation continues, this incident raises pressing questions about the use of force by Law Enforcement and the ongoing land dispute in the area. Both the community and authorities are calling for an open dialogue to find a lasting resolution to the tensions surrounding the Ndabeni Trust’s land.
