Judge refuses application for final interdict against occupation of controversial land By Mary-Anne Gontsana Social justice organisations have hailed the judgement in the case brought against them by property developers Growthpoint Properties as a victory. In the Western Cape High Court on Friday, Judge Judith Cloete discharged with costs Growthpoint’s application for a final interdict against Reclaim the City (RTC). On 4 December, RTC,...

EE wants R4.3 million saved at this year’s official opening of the legislature to be allocated to fixing schools By Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik On Friday, members of Equal Education picketed outside the Eastern Cape Legislature ahead of the State of Province Address in Bhisho. Earlier this month, Speaker Helen Sauls-August announced that the address would be held in the chamber and there would...

City will appeal the court order affecting Vusimuzi in Tembisa By Zoë Postman On Friday morning, the South Gauteng High Court interdicted the City of Ekurhuleni from reblocking Vusimuzi informal settlement in Tembisa, at least until the matter is heard in July. About 130 community members, who are part of the shack dwellers movement Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM), took the City to court in...

Courts make inhumane decisions based on legal facts and are not in touch with our people on the ground, says farm workers’ rights organiser By Barbara Maregele “They are the authors of their own fate,” said Land Claims Court Acting Judge Canca, referring to the May family’s decision to squat outside the gates of the farmfrom which they were evicted in Paarl, and...

Correctional services say his computer is a security risk By Zoë Postman Mbalenhle Nkosi, an inmate at Johannesburg Medium C Correctional Facility, has taken the head of the prison, the National Commissioner and the Minister of Correctional Services to court. The prison has denied him access to his laptop, which he needs for distance learning. He has accused the authorities of “infringing on...

Scalabrini Centre hails court order as life-changing for refugees By Tariro Washinyira On Wednesday, the Western Cape High Court handed down a court order that allows the dependents of asylum seekers and refugees to legalise their status in South Africa in a process known as ‘family-joining’. Dependents are defined as spouses, children and other dependents of asylum seekers. In a statement released on Wednesday,...

Reclaim the City contests interdict against occupation of property in centre of Cape Town By Katherine Liu An interim interdict preventing the occupation of a site in Cape Town city centre being developed by GrowthPoint Properties was extended in the Western Cape High Court on Monday. Housing activist group Reclaim the City (RTC) occupied the property by building shacks, with members of #UniteBehind...