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The ongoing evictions that continue to take place in Sedibeng on a daily basis are slowly becoming another one of this region's many scars.

Scenes of furnisher splashed outside yards, families losing the only places that they called home and sheriffs eminent to evict what they term "previous home owners" play out on our streets on too often a basis.

This brings yet another shadow to the livelihood of Sedibeng residents. Over the past few weeks this newspaper has been bombarded with stories of people who have been ruthlessly evicted from their homes without any warning. Some even claim that they are being evicted from homes that they own and possess title deeds to.

The only conclusion to this whole scenario is to say that the housing industry in this region could be in shambles. How does it happen that an estate agent sells a house without the consent or at least the knowledge of the people living in that particular house?

There is also a very peculiar thing about some of these evictions; many of them seem to take place in homes that belong to unmarried individuals who either live alone or with their children.

It is almost an obvious assumption that these individuals are specifically targeted. However there could also be other explanations to this trend. Perhaps people are uninformed of the legalities of how to protect one's property in cases of a divorce or the death of a spouse or a homeowner for that matter.

It is unconcluded or misunderstood matters such as this that could eventually lead to the repossession of a house because proper procedures were not carried out when they should have been.

It is time that the people of Sedibeng empower themselves with knowledge even on issues that do not seem important in order to avoid disasters such as unexpected evictions or to at least know how to deal with such situations in case they happen.

It is also time for local and district municipality housing departments to intervene in this problem and force estate agents to follow proper channels when selling repossessed houses. In the same breath, measures must be taken to educate people on the nitty-gritty of home ownership and the implications of owning a house, especially one that is financed.

This could be the only way to rid this region of evictions that leave families out in the cold as they are forced to leave the comfort of their homes.

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