http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/2011/04/abahlali-basemjondolo-western-cape.html

ABM WC Welcomes Joe Slovo informal settlement constitutional court judgement

Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape welcomes the Joe Slovo Constitutional Court Judgement which was handed over Thursday last week. Which set aside the eviction order granted in June 2009.

While this is a victory for people of Joe Slovo who did not want to be evicted to Delft, we also note that:

1. If the previous Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu was not arrogant, and was willing to engage meaningfully with the residents of Joe Slovo the whole dispute between both parties would have been resolved outside the court and satisfactory decision to both parties would have been reached.

2. People of Joe Slovo who were shot (during the time that they barricaded the N2 for almost 8 hours) by Metro Police, SAPS and Law Enforcement would not have been injured.

3. Those who were wrongfully forced out of Joe Slovo would have still continuing residing at Joe Slovo and also those who lost their jobs after forcefully evicted, today would have been still working.

And we also note that:

The current administration did not withdraw the eviction order because they think that it is a right thing to do for people of Joe Slovo, but they have done so because they did not want to comply with the conditions which were set out in 2009 judgement:

(the judgement stated that temporary residential accommodation unit must: 1) Be at least 24 m(2) in extent. 2) Be serviced with tarred roads. 3) Be individually numbered for purpose of identification. 4) Have walls constructed with a substance called Nutec. 5) Have galvanised iron roof. 6) Be supplied with electricity through a pre-paid electricity meter. 7) Be situated within reasonable proximity of a communal ablution facility. 8) Make reasonable provision (which maybe communal) for toilet facilities with water-borne sewerage. 9) Make reasonable provision (which may be communal) for fresh water.

And we therefore call up on government:

1. To immediately compensate all those who were forcefully removed, those who where shot by the police and those who where wrongfully arrested as an act of intimidation by the state.

2. Government to continue and comply with the conditions set out in 2009 judgement to make TRA’S reasonable and suitable conditions, mainly for those who still continue to live under worst conditions in Tsunami TRA’s Delft.

3. To honour residents of Joe Slovo by building descent houses for them not Breaking New Grounds tins, no one deserve to be housed in a tin while President Jacob Zuma’s house is renovated with more than 180 million rand and more than 90 million rand for his deputy.

For more comment please call: Mzonke Poni @ 073 2562 036