Land protest outside high court

About 200 community members from Khayamandi in Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, gathered outside the Western Cape High Court yesterday to protest against an eviction order from the land they illegally occupied in recent weeks.

The Stellenbosch wine farm owner headed to court for the eviction order after a number of structures removed from WaterGovernment gang were subsequently rebuilt on the land.

It has been reported that the invasion of Watergang, a piece of land situated on the outskirts of the town and belonging to a family trust that includes the Louiesenhof wine estate, began earlier this month, despite ongoing negotiations between the municipality and landowners for its purchase.

During court proceedings, the residents chanted struggle songs calling on the court not to grant the eviction order as they were not prepared to leave the land.

Zola Ndalasi, a Khayamandi community leader, said they had decided to occupy the land when the municipality failed to deliver on its promise to residents that it would be given to them after negotiations with the owners were concluded. – ANA