By Anel Powel
The hundreds of backyard dwellers who have illegally occupied incomplete houses of the N2 Gateway project will hear today (Thursday) whether they will be evicted.
But Ashraf Cassiem, of the Western Cape Anti-eviction Campaign, said the backyarders are confident the Cape High Court will rule that the eviction order used to remove people from the Delft section of the N2 Gateway in December last year was illegal.
He alleged that Thubelisha Homes, the N2 Gateway developer, and the national Housing Department had used an old eviction order from 2006 to remove the illegal dwellers.
Justice Deon van Zyl granted a temporary stay of eviction on December 27.
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Cassiem said the backyard dwellers were expecting the national Housing Department to apply for a new eviction order today (Thursday).
Xolani Tyilana, provincial housing spokesperson, said the department would only comment on this possibility after today's court decision.
"We are going to court to listen to what the judge has to say and then we will decide."
Backyard dwellers from Delft, Bonteheuwel and other areas moved into the unfinished houses that were set aside for former Joe Slovo residents. Many said they had been on the housing waiting list for more than 20 years and were therefore entitled to a house.
The department has allocated the houses in a 70:30 split between former Joe Slovo residents and backyard dwellers.
But the backyard dwellers claimed their occupation of the unfinished houses was sparked by a visit from Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu on December 16 when she handed over keys to former Joe Slovo residents.
They said she ignored the promise that 30 percent of the houses would go to backyard dwellers
Tyilana said: "Our ever-changing environment requires us to be adaptable, innovative and bold in order to remain effective and to seize opportunities."
He said Thubelisha had already reduced the number of FNB-bonded houses that would be built in Joe Slovo from 200 to 35.
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