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Images and videos on social media of the Red Ants dismantling shacks on Thursday were actually evidence of a "land grab action" and not evictions, Overstrand municipal manager Coenie Groenewald said.
"That land is not safe for housing and we have been communicating with the community. But overnight and on Friday morning, people had rebuilt the shacks," Groenewald told News24.
"We have a court order because those people are trespassing. There were no evictions, only partially erected structures and unoccupied structures were removed."
He added that a facility had been set up where residents could recover their building material from Saturday.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Donovan Heilbron said that roughly 13 shacks had been dismantled.
The "land grab" occurred shortly after Zwelihle Renewal leader Gcobani Ndzongana was released on bail of R5 000. He is charged with malicious damage to property and incitement, charges related to the dismantling of a fence he said promoted racial segregation.
Zwelihle Renewal committee leader Sicelo Gxamesi claimed that police arrived while people were rejoicing in the streets.
