Locals stand against eviction notices

A few tenants from Eden Park have joined hands with the Khoisan group to oppose eviction notices said to have been received from Council.

On May 5, the unemployed group of locals reappeared at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in an attempt to have eviction notices given to them scrapped.

The group of residents are occupants of an Eden Park Council-owned complex occupied by both young and old for years now.

The locals first took their fight to Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in November.

Khoisan activist and elder Derrick Wilkinson said a similar case was being heard at the Johannesburg High Court.

“We need not pay rates and taxes because we are aboriginal founders of this area, we need to be serviced free of charge. We are being victimised by the state by evicting us from our own soil. You cannot chase away people on their own soil. We as the Khoisan need to fight the cooperation,” he said.

On behalf of the movement, Cynthia Rayners said they have women-headed households and cannot afford to move from the premises.

“We are unable to pay because of our financial circumstances. When we first moved in our circumstances were different and since 2012, Council has not renewed our lease agreement. We tried on numerous occasions to engage officials to intervene and resolve the issue, but nothing was done,” she said.

She said she suspects that more tenants will be given eviction notices moving forward.

“We think they don’t want to issue these letters to everyone at once because they know we will stand together. The majority of us have lost jobs due to the pandemic and cannot afford to pay. We have then brought into the Khoisan movement to protect ourselves so we are not removed from our soil,” said Rayners.

During their appearance, the magistrate ruled that on their next appearance, children which have been cited on their statements also have to be present in court.

The locals are again expected to reappear on June 9 following a postponement.