Dozens of families from the Bompini informal settlement near King Phalo Airport in East London have been left homeless after large-scale demolitions carried out on Tuesday. The operation, led by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), resulted in brick houses, shacks, and other structures being levelled to the ground—leaving long-time residents in shock and despair. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse angry crowds who attempted to block the evictions.
According to residents, the land in question has been occupied for decades. Many say they have lived there since the 1980s, raising families and building their homes over many years. On Tuesday morning, however, the ARC deployed security personnel to enforce evictions and demolish hundreds of structures, claiming the occupation was illegal and in defiance of court orders.
One woman, who has lived in Bompini since 1987, said residents were never warned. “We did not get any eviction notices. Instead, we saw people forcefully entering our homes, telling us to get out so they could demolish them. Some of us are unemployed—watching everything we worked for destroyed is heartbreaking.”
Several residents said they were aware of a court matter involving the land, but insisted they were never given official notices about the final eviction date. As homes fell, some elderly residents fainted from shock while others stood silently, watching decades of memories crumble into dust.
The ARC maintains that proper legal channels were followed. The organisation obtained an interdict in 2024 preventing further occupation of the land, identified as Farm 1345. Through their lawyers, the council warned residents in June 2025 to stop erecting structures. According to the court order, illegal occupants were required to vacate the land by 26 February 2025.
ARC spokesperson Joy Peter said the demolitions were carried out in line with the court’s instructions. “The illegal occupants were granted until February 26 to vacate the farm. This was not complied with, and the unlawful occupants continued to defy the court orders.”
However, Advocate Zolani Madukuda, representing residents, said the matter was still before the courts. He claimed the sheriff ignored their urgent stop order filed on the morning of the demolitions. “ARC knows the case is still being litigated. The sheriff decided to ignore our urgent application and continued with the demolition.”
Homes worth hundreds of thousands of rands were reduced to rubble. Some residents managed to save a few belongings, such as aluminium doors, but time constraints prevented them from removing even brand-new windows still wrapped in protective plastic.
Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Bongani Fuzile distanced the municipality from the operation. “BCM has not been involved in the eviction or demolition process. This activity is undertaken by the landowner or its appointed representatives. There are no municipal agreements permitting settlement or development of the property.”
Because BCM was not part of the eviction planning, no alternative accommodation has been arranged for displaced families.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that SAPS was present to monitor the operation and manage unrest. When residents blocked the road and burned tyres, police used rubber bullets to disperse them. One person was arrested for public violence.
As dust settled over the demolished structures, the cries of heartbroken families echoed through Bompini—families now left without homes, answers, or a clear future.
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