By Rapule Tabane
The Pretoria High Court has confirmed its previous interim court order for the illegal occupants of the Bredell farm, near Kempton Park, to vacate the premises.
The court granted the interim order in July. The case caused a brouhaha when about 2 000 people occupied the land after local Pan Africanist Congress officials allocated them stands for R25.
Police demolished their shacks and removed the occupants after the July order. Most have returned to Thembisa, although some are still stranded after a church in which they were staying in Thembisa asked them to leave.
The government, Eskom, Transnet and private landowners argued then that the land posed a danger to the squatters because of an underground petrol pipe and electric cables.
It also argued that because of a lack of clean water, the squatters faced the possibility of contracting diseases such as cholera.
The PAC argued that the people had been there for more than six months and the government should, therefore, provide them with alternative land.
The PAC also wanted the government to prove that the land was hazardous for its residents.
Sonnyboy Mmatli of the PAC said the party was disappointed with the outcome. "But the question still remains: What do we with those people who are still homeless?
"We call on the government and the Ekurhuleni Metro to make sure the people have a place to stay," he said.