City gets interdict to boot District Six invaders

THE Western Cape High Court has granted the City an urgent interdict against the invaders of land in District Six which has been earmarked for restitution.

The interim order interdicts and restrains any person from entering the properties for the purposes of unlawfully occupying or invading, erecting, completing or extending any structure on the properties, occupying any vacant structures on the properties and intimidating, threatening, harassing or assaulting, or in any way interfering with the work of officials, councillors and law enforcement.

Some of the occupants include a group that has erected tents opposite Cape Peninsula University of Technology, made up of 64 families, called Social Liberals for Backyard Dwellers (SLBD), who were evicted from areas including Bo Kaap, Manenberg, Hanover Park and Mitchells Plain.

SLBD chairperson Sharriefa Nolan said they were disturbed by the court order. “We have been engaging and pleading for three years, in a peaceful manner, to hear our plights. We are not politically affiliated like all these other informal settlements around the province, that are being funded by different political parties. We are social activists, fighting for our women and children, who are being mentally and emotionally abused by not getting their basic human rights from all government entities. This is now the third time in history that we have to endure eviction on our own land. Our parents and grandparents left without getting their birthrights,” she said.

Mayor Dan Plato, who welcomed the interdict, said the City had liaised with all landowners in the area and authorities remained on high alert.

“I recently met with the District Six Working Committee, who are committed to protecting the land and to working with the City to ensure that the restitution process proceeds without any unnecessary delays. The City will do everything in its power and within the law to continue to protect the rightful beneficiaries of District Six,” said Plato.

District Six Working Committee spokesperson Karen Breytenbach said: “Our claimants, who have fought for years for their restitution, are right at the point of return – we cannot and will not allow their determination to be derailed now. We commend the City of Cape Town for attempting to protect the rights of rightful beneficiaries,” she said.