South Africa: Tembisa Land Occupiers Win Court Case Against Municipality

Land occupiers in Tembisa, East of Johannesburg, scored a big court victory on Monday. Judge Anthony Milla in the North Gauteng High Court ordered the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) and the City of Ekurhuleni to stop evicting the occupiers without a court order. They also have to pay each occupier R1,500 for damages to property during prior evictions.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) represented the occupiers. Thandeka Chauke, a lawyer for LHR, said: "First and foremost [the order] declares that the evictions were indeed unconstitutional and unlawful ... [The court] has granted interdicts that will prevent EMPD and the City from harassing, intimidating or threatening the occupiers."

...

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.