A group of Hangberg residents who challenged the City of Cape Town in court have come out victorious. On the morning of Wednesday, July 15 the Western Cape High Court ruled that the recent evictions in Hout Bay were unlawful.

Just over a month ago, the City was questioned in Parliament for evicting residents during winter and in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was initially set with the intention for Members of Parliament to find out from the City what its plans are to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it plans to provide water to informal settlements.

The Hangberg community then made their way to the courts as a way to have a reprieve from the evictions.

Speaking to EWN, Vernon Seymour, who is the lawyer representing the residents of Hangberg, said Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe called the City’s actions “deplorable” when handing down the judgment.

The city has been given 48 hours to rebuild the home of Ginola Phillips which they tore down last month, using similar materials it was originally built with and in the same size and dimensions.

ALSO READ: Hangberg residents protest against evictions

Picture: voc.fm

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Lucinda is a hard news writer who occasionally dabbles in lifestyle writing, and recent journalism graduate. She is a proud intersectional feminist, and is passionate about actively creating a world which is free of discrimination and inequality.