The judgement in the Richmond Farm transit camp case, in Siyanda, is now available. It is attached below.

The pictures that were included with this article are here.

http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/judgment-a-victory-for-38-families-1.1387449#.UHLAupjMhlE

Judgment a victory for 38 families

September 20 2012 at 02:06pm
By Daily News Reporter

The Durban High Court had sent a clear message to the eThekwini Municipality that it could no longer “dump people in transit camps” but should instead provide them with proper houses, the shack dwellers movement, Abahlali baseMjondolo, said.

http://www.thenewage.co.za/62905-1010-53-Houses_ordered_for_38_families

Houses ordered for 38 families

Chris Makhaye

The Durban High Court has ordered the Ethekwini municipality to relocate into proper houses 38 families from Siyanda, north of Durban, who are living in the transit camp also known as Tin Town. The city had 90 days to comply.

The court ruled in favour of residents who were removed in 2009 to make way for Dumisani Makhaye highway and put into the Richmond Farm transit camp with promises that they would be relocated within months.

http://mg.co.za/article/2012-09-19-landmark-evictions-ruling-poses-a-threat-to-municipal-officials

Landmark evictions ruling poses a threat to municipal officials

Municipal officials now face the very real threat of being fined or imprisoned over evictions following a judgment by acting judge Nigel Hollis.

by Niren Tolsi

Wednesday's groundbreaking ruling at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court compelled eThekwini municipality officials to provide 37 families living in a transit camp with permanent accommodation within three months – or face a fine or imprisonment.

http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/shack-dwellers-take-city-to-court-1.1385328#.UFiB0LLiax4

Shack dwellers take city to court

September 18 2012
By Rizwana Sheik Umar

Residents of a KwaMashu informal settlement and the shack dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo have taken the eThekwini Municipality to court for failing to comply with a court order to provide homes for residents evicted from the area.

In 2009, residents of the Siyanda settlement near KwaMashu were evicted from their shacks by the Department of Transport and relocated to transit camps to make way for the construction of Dumisani Makhaye Drive.

For a collection of media on The background to the struggle in the Richmond Farm Transit Camp, and this court action, click here.

http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/mayor-city-are-in-contempt-1.1246499

Mayor, city are ‘in contempt’

By Anelisa Kubheka

Three years after being evicted and promised permanent homes, former residents of Siyanda Informal Settlement near KwaMashu are suing the eThekwini Municipality and its officials for not complying with a high court order.

It has been lodged by 37 residents who have been temporarily housed in transit camps on Richmond Farm, as well as Abahlali Basemjondolo – the South African shack dwellers movement. They want the mayor, city manager and head of housing to be held responsible, in their official and personal capacities, to be held in contempt of court for not complying with an order granted three years ago.

http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/city-top-brass-could-face-jail-time-over-abahlali-court-order-1.1246429

City top brass could face jail time over Abahlali court order

By Anelisa Kubheka
Zikode

The eThekwini mayor, the city manager and the city’s director of housing could face jail time or a fine for being in contempt of court.

Two years ago, the city was granted an order to evict residents of Siyanda informal settlement near KwaMashu, to make way for the construction of a road.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/shack-dwellers-go-to-court-for-homes-1.1246340

Shack dwellers go to court for homes

by Tania Broughton

Three years ago a group of shack dwellers said they feared they would simply “fall off the radar” if they were forced into a transit camp so their homes could be bulldozed for a new road.

Their words have proved prophetic.

Thirty-nine families that used to live at Siyanda settlement, near Pinetown, are languishing in “atrocious conditions” at Richmond Farm transit camp – even though in 2009 a Durban High Court judge instructed the eThekwini municipality to provide them with permanent housing within a year.

LIFE IN THE SIYANDA SHACKS

I’m back from my week living in the Siyanda Shack Settlement, where I conducted research and fieldwork on women’s activism and community leadership in Abahlali baseMjondolo, South Africa’s shack dweller movement largely based in Durban.

I spent most my time there conducting interviews, walking around to schedule more interviews, and observing the environment. It’s what you’d expect it to be–naked children running around, people going to the community tap for running water, women doing laundry and hanging clothes, cooking. When it’s warm outside, it’s hot in the shack. When it’s cold outside, it’s freezing in the shack. When it rains outside, it gets wet in the shack. The men are always sitting together and drinking and smoking. I lost count of the number of times I had been hit on or been proposed to by drunk and careless men.