“THE CONTINUED PLIGHT OF THE MARIEVALE COMMUNITY”

The Marievale Community is once again embroiled in another legal battle against the SANDF. While the application for contempt of court against the Minister of Defence, the SANDF and the Officer Commanding Marievale Military Base has been set down for hearing on 19 November 2018, LHR has launched another urgent application to be heard on 9 October 2018 on behalf of the residents of Happiness Village.

Following the illegal evictions instigated and carried out by the SANDF late last year in Marievale, the evictees were left homeless and several of them moved into a nearby semi-informal settlement ironically known as “Happiness Village”. Due to the SANDF’s continued non-compliance with the court order of 9 May 2018, which ordered that the evictees must be restored to their homes or provided with alternative accommodation, many of them remain in Happiness Village where they erected shacks.

Happiness Village is situated about 200m from Marievale, although it is on state land it is separate from Marievale and used by civilians solely for residential purposes. However, in the past few months the residents of Happiness Village have been unnerved by the increasing presence of armed military personnel in Happiness Village that have been harassing, intimidating and threatening them. Particularly the residents involved in the ongoing litigation. These military personnel patrol Happiness Village in heavy armoured military vehicles known as “mambas”, they enter the residents’ homes without permission carrying rifles at any time of the day and without just cause.

On 17 September 2018, the situation became more volatile when some military personnel disconnected a water pipe that had been supplying the residents of Happiness Village with potable water thus leaving them without access to clean water for drinking, cooking and bathing. This was done without any prior notice or explanation. Tensions between the residents and the military personnel continued to escalate to a point where a rifle was pointed at an unsuspecting civilian at night by one soldier. “Access to clean water is a constitutionally entrenched and fundamental human right.

The unlawful deprivation of access to water has caused the residents of Happiness Village immense hardship and has affected their dignity and health. It is therefore critical that their access to clean water is restored and secured. Equally important is the need to address the army’s constant presence with armoured military vehicles and rifles in Happiness Village which is occupied by civilian families. It is simply an abuse of power and a real cause of concern for the safety of these families,” – Thandeka Chauke (Land and Housing Programme)

LHR therefore seeks urgent relief on behalf of the residents of Happiness Village to have their access to clean water restored and furthermore, to interdict the members of the SANDF from coming in close proximity to the residents’ homes as well as from harassing, intimidating and threatening them.

For more information please contact

Carol Mohlala

Media and Communications Manager 

079 238 9826/ Carol [at] lhr [dot] org [dot] za

OR  

Louise Du Plessis

Land and Housing Programme Manager

012 320 2943