JP Smith, the mayoral committee member for safety and security, said three similar incidents of “deliberate disrobing” had taken place this week.
“We have developed a new strategy for coping with it, which involves officers covering the disrobed person with a blanket and accompanying them out of the structure in order for the removal of the structure to proceed,” said Smith. The city council statement disputed media reports that the structure depicted in the video of the clash between law enforcement officials and Qolani was his home.
“Aerial photographs taken by the South African National Space Agency refute Mr Qolani’s version of taking illegal occupation on March 16,” it said. “In the Sunday Times, Mr Qolani is quoted as saying he was there two weeks prior to the altercation with officials. However, anti-land invasion unit officials first noted the particular structure on the day of the incident, having conducted an operation to remove an illegal structure at the same site the previous day.”