63 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
63 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
The **N2 Gateway Occupations** was a mass
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[squatting](squatting "wikilink") campaign where people illegally
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squatted in public housing, and is the largest occupation in South
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African history and took place from [December
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2007](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Southern_Africa "wikilink")
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to February [2008](Revolutions_of_2008_-_2014 "wikilink").
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## Background
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## Occupation
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The BNG houses were originally promised to backyard dwellers in the
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area. After the January 2005 fire in Joe Slovo Informal Settlement, 1000
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Joe Slovo families were moved to Transit Camps in Delft and promised
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priority in the allocation of N2 Gateway housing in
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Delft.<sup>\[3\]</sup>
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The houses were occupied by backyard dwellers and other mostly poor
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residents in and around Delft on the 19th of December 2007. After the
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occupation, it emerged that a local DA councillor, Frank Martin, had
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encouraged local families to occupy the houses. Though the charges
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against Martin were later dropped,<sup>\[4\]</sup> what ensued was a
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high-profile political fight between the ANC and DA, each accusing the
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other of racism, playing party politics, and using the poor for their
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own gain.<sup>\[5\]\[6\]</sup> Police and a private security company
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began evicting residents on the 24th of December but were ordered to
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stop after the Cape High Court said that the evictions were illegal
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because the sheriff was using an eviction order granted to the City of
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Cape Town in October 2006 against other people.<sup>\[7\]</sup>
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<sup>\[8\]</sup>
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## Legal
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Litigation resumed in January 2008 and on the 5th of February, the Cape
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High Court granted an eviction order. The judge ignored the section of
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the 1999 PIE Act which requires reasonable alternative accommodation to
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be provided to people who are evicted with nowhere else to go on the
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basis that they could find accommodation where they came from. As part
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of the order, the judge also faulted Frank Martin for instigating the
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occupation and who pledge no contest to allegations during the trial.
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Residents attempted to appeal the eviction order on the 15th of February
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and their appeal was rejected without a hearing.<sup>\[9\]</sup>
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## Eviction
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The eviction order went into effect at 5am, 19 February 2008, the next
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day after Judge Van Zyl refused to hear the residents' appeal. During
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the evictions, police used stun grenades and rubber bullets against
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crowds protesting their eviction orders. At least 20 residents were
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injured.
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After the evictions, about 1000 families slept in the open. They
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eventually chose to either occupy Symphony Way or set up camp in a
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nearby open space. The latter group eventually were moved to a newly
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built Temporary Relocation Area (TRA) nicknamed Blikkiesdorp which was
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built by the City of Cape Town. The families living on Symphony Way have
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refused to be moved to any TRA and continue to occupy the road.
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On February 18, 2009, a City of Cape Town disciplinary committee found
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Martin guilty of encouraging people to invade homes at
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Delft.<sup>\[13\]</sup> As punishment, Martin was suspended for one
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month, while former supporters of the councillor expressed outrage and
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called for him to be fired.<sup>\[14\]</sup> |