Pta flat dwellers get interdict (Pretoria News)

Pretoria - Residents of the Schubart and Kruger Parkflats in Pretoria obtained an urgent Pretoria High Court interdict on Tuesdayto stop their eviction.

This followed an outbreak of violence and the death ofat least six residents when a fire broke out in the Kruger Park flats duringprotests against forced evictions.

Judge Ferdi Preller granted an interim order to stopevictions from continuing at the flats for now.

Residents who claim they were not aware of evictionorders against them will have until Friday to place facts before the court.

Preller granted an interim interdict against four ofthe residents - who claimed to be leaders of the Residents' Committee - to stopthem from inciting violence.

Preller said he was reluctant the allow people who ignoredeviction orders granted against them because they were not paying their rent to"enjoy the fruits of their illegal actions".

Innocent people protected

However, the violence had to be stopped and hundredsof innocent people protected.

The CEO of the administrators of the buildings, MatomeGaffane, in court papers accused the four of being the "ringleaders"who incited other residents to join them in causing mayhem.

"They have appointed themselves as 'The ResidentCommittee' and have been collecting rent from other tenants," Gaffanesaid.

"Should any of the tenants refuse to pay them,they intimidate the tenants and threaten them with their lives."

While residents brought an urgent application to stopthe evictions, the Tshwane City Council in turn asked for the"ringleaders" to be prohibited from entering the buildings and toincite violence or interfere with the management of the building.

Mayor blamed

The chair of the residents' committee, AubreyRamotlhale, in court papers accused Tshwane Mayor Gwen Ramokgopa of making"extremely irresponsible and inflammatory statements" in the media.

He said these statements were to the effect that thecity would evict all the residents and was under no obligation to providealternative accommodation.

He claimed most residents had stopped paying rent dueto the complete deterioration of the buildings, with lifts that no longerworked; an intermittent electricity supply and the whole place becoming"dangerously unhealthy".

Counsel for the residents, Rudolph Jansen, said theeviction of 38 residents, against whom eviction orders had been obtained,happened in the context of the clearing of the whole building.

It would be best for the council to step back for awhile as further evictions would only result in more violence.

'Looking for trouble'

He said there had been a march to the mayor's officelast week, where certain undertakings (regarding mediation) were given, whichwere not complied with.

"To start with evictions under the circumstanceswas looking for trouble... There is no urgent, pressing need for the CityCouncil to evict people today (Tuesday)."

Counsel for the city, Advocate Nicolene vanNieuwenhuizen, said only 38 of the occupants had been listed for evictionbecause they were not paying their rent.

Court orders were granted against them, and the restof the 1 338 units' residents were not being evicted.

A process would be put into place and time given for the others to moveout or find alternative accommodation, she said.