Eskom has demolished hundreds of homes in Thornville, Pietermaritzburg, after obtaining a court order to evict illegal land occupants from its property near a power station. The demolition, which was carried out by Red Ant Security Relocation & Eviction Services, has left many families without a place to call home.
According to reports, residents had spent between R15,000 and R60,000 to buy plots of land from sellers who claimed ownership of the Eskom property. In addition, they spent up to R1 million building the structures and more money completing the interiors. One resident was heard saying his house took him six months to build but was reduced to rubble in three minutes.
Eskom’s Court Order
Eskom’s subsidiary, National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), obtained the court order last year from the Pietermaritzburg High Court to demolish the houses built on its land. The order, which was dated July 14, 2025, instructed the illegal land occupants to dismantle their homes within 48 hours of receiving it. On August 29, 2025, the court order, in English and isiZulu, was served, instructing the land invaders that should they fail to comply, the sheriff of the court will carry out the eviction.
As the demolition began, some residents gathered, promising to fight with their lives to protect their homes. However, they were outnumbered by the police and Red Ants. At about 9 am, a large cloud of dust was raised when the first house went down. The scene was chaotic, with residents trying to salvage what they could from the rubble.
Impact on Residents
The demolition has left many families without a place to call home. One of the unfortunate residents, a police officer, used his three-week-old baby to plead for his houses to be spared, but it was to no avail. The Red Ants officers went ahead to demolish the policeman’s three houses and only spared the rondavel, where the baby was sleeping.
Some homeowners who were at work were alerted via the phone about what was happening, as the Red Ants used bolt cutters to pry bars and force their way into the homes, remove furniture before an excavator started the demolishing. The Eskom website states that the company is committed to protecting its assets and ensuring that its operations are conducted in a safe and responsible manner.
Here are some of the key issues related to the demolition:
- The demolition was carried out in accordance with a court order obtained by Eskom’s subsidiary, NTCSA.
- Residents had been instructed to dismantle their homes within 48 hours of receiving the court order.
- The demolition has left many families without a place to call home.
- The scene was chaotic, with residents trying to salvage what they could from the rubble.
For more information on the court order and the demolition, you can visit the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development website.
