Human rights organisations slam Kenny Kunene for 'targeting' poor people in 'unlawful' Joburg raids

• The Socio-Economic Rights Institute has called out Kenny Kunene for initiating what it described as unlawful raids in Hillbrow.
• The raids happened while Kunene was Joburg's acting mayor.
• In a video, Kunene says he wants to clean the city and take it back to its "glory days".

The Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) has slammed Kenny Kunene for launching "unlawful raids" on buildings in Johannesburg on Monday.

The raids occurred while Kunene, MMC for Transport in the City of Johannesburg, was acting mayor while Kabelo Gwamanda was away.

On a cold, rainy Monday, Kunene and his team raided, issued warnings and threatened to evict residents of dilapidated buildings in Windsor East and Hillbrow.

SERI spokesperson Edward Molopi said Kunene had raided the buildings without any authorising court order. 

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"SERI is appalled by the recent actions and approach of the City of Johannesburg under the leadership of [the] acting mayor which are targeted at poor people living in the inner city," he said.

"At a time when the City is grappling with numerous challenges, it is disconcerting that the primary focus of the new acting mayor is to subject vulnerable communities to unconstitutional conduct that violate their fundamental rights to dignity and privacy."

Molopi said residents of Joburg had experienced similar things when Herman Mashaba was the mayor.

"These unlawful raids predominantly affect the same people who have previously endured victimisation under different mayoral regimes.

"In response to suffering under former mayor Herman Mashaba's tenure, the affected residents sought recourse from the Constitutional Court, culminating in the landmark decision in Residents of Industry House and Others vs Minister of Police and Others," Molopi said.

In video footage of Monday's raid, Kunene can be heard saying he wants to clean Johannesburg and take it back to its "glory days".

"We are inspecting the building. [And] because of the spirit of ubuntu, we are not evicting today. We are giving warnings. It's cold [and] we don't want people in the streets. But we will come back and put them on the streets," Kunene said. 

Kunene is also seen directing a bulldozer to demolish a portion of a building, pushing a man, and using vulgar words.

It also alleged that Kunene had an altercation with the caretaker of the Park Lane flats in Hillbrow, who had refused to disclose who the property owners were.

Kunene said the building had not been paying the City for services such as water and electricity, and insisted that illegal activities were taking place on the property.

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In another video, the acting mayor is seen pushing a man in Windsor East, where copper cables were found stashed. 

SERI condemned the "conduct and attitude displayed by the City of Joburg toward impoverished citizens", Molopi said.

"These residents already face the risk of eviction and are desperately awaiting adequate housing from the City. We call upon the City to rectify its course and refrain from unlawful conduct.

"We also urge the City to urgently devise and implement a comprehensive housing strategy that addressed the needs and rights of its valuable residents."

Speaking to eNCA on Tuesday, Kunene said he was unapologetic about the raids.

He said:

"Criminals who stay in these buildings are not paying rates and taxes. They don't pay for water and electricity. I will make sure this programme we have started does not stop, whether I'm the mayor or not."