‘Illegal occupation’: Standerton residents turn to ConCourt to stop evictions

Residents of Kosmos in Standerton, Mpumalanga, have approached the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) to nullify an eviction order that allows Eskom to evict them from “illegally” occupied houses.

The Mpumalanga High Court recently dismissed their urgent court application to hear the matter.

A confrontation ensued between the occupiers last week with the police and officials from the sheriff of the court, following the residents’ refusal to vacate the houses.

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The residents were backed by a local community forum, while their lawyers were busy with the urgent court application.

Squabble heads to ConCourt

Sources close to the situation said more than 16 affected families instructed their legal representative to challenge the high court decision at the Constitutional Court.

“It is true that the matter was taken to the highest court in the land. We are waiting for a date on which the matter will be attended to,” said one source.

The Citizen has seen the court document whereby Eskom stated that it would oppose the urgent application.

“Kindly note that the respondents are hereby giving a notice of their intention to oppose this matter,” the document read.

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Commenting on the issue for the first time since the squabble started, Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the power utility would continue to push the residents out of the houses because they had not been permitted to use them.

“The residents are in unlawful occupation of Eskom-owned residential properties.

“Information related to this matter can be obtained from the records filed at the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Middelburg,” said Mokwena.

‘Abandoned houses’

The fight between Eskom and the families started about three years ago when the residents saw “abandoned houses”, which they said were used by criminals and drug users.

They renovated the “dilapidated” structures and moved in.

The residents alleged that Eskom promised to sell the houses to them, but later changed its mind and evicted them.

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The residents preferred not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter but confirmed that the matter had been taken to the Concourt.

“We are trying by all means to stop this eviction because we found the abandoned houses. I will send you a picture showing what the houses were like before renovating them.

“Eskom is not even talking about reimbursing us for the resources we used to fix the houses,” said one.

“These people promised to sell us the houses, but later changed their mind without considering the damages their move would cause to our families.”

Another resident said the residents were ready, “to fight until to the end”.

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