2016

Persistence of Apartheid planning perpetuates unemployment crisis, report finds (15 December 2016). SERI has published the results of our research on the relationship between a person’s place of residence and their chances of getting a job in South Africa’s major cities. Edged Out: Spatial Mismatch and Spatial Justice in South Africa’s Main Urban Areas presents overwhelming evidence of unjust urban planning in South African cities. It finds that housing for the poor tends to be located far away from job opportunities. This creates a poverty trap, in which poor people are confined to residence in areas least likely to provide them with the opportunity to get a job and support themselves. >>Read the full media alert here.

High Court lifts Rhodes protest crackdown (1 December 2016). The Grahamstown High Court dismissed Rhodes University’s application for an order regulating student protest on its campus. The University wanted to finalise an interim order it was granted in April 2016, when a group of at least 200 students started a spontaneous protest against what they say is a culture of rape and sexual violence at Rhodes. >>Read the full statement here.

Wits students left without relief as interdict application dismissed (3 November 2016). The Gauteng Local Division of the High Court dismissed an application of more than 25 students of the University of the Witwatersrand to interdict the University and restrict it from commencing its year-end examinations, and postponing examinations by at least two weeks. Their preparations had been curtailed, through no fault of their own, by recent #FeesMustFall protests on campus and the University’s response to them. >>Read the full statement here.

Informal traders claim R120 million for damage caused by "Operation Clean Sweep" (3 October 2016). SERI launched a damages claim worth R120 million on behalf of 1652 informal traders who were temporarily evicted from their places of business during “Operation Clean Sweep” three years ago. “Clean Sweep” saw the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department evict every informal trader working in and around the inner city in October 2013. >>Read the full statement here.

Western Cape farm workers victorious in Labour Appeal Court (22 August 2016). The Labour Appeal Court upheld an appeal against the Labour Court’s refusal of the Robertson Abattoir workers’ claims for unfair dismissal. For the past six years, the Commercial Stevedoring and Allied Workers Union (CSAAWU) has pursued the case on behalf of 39 workers dismissed by Robertson Abattoir (now Robertson Farm Assured Meat). >>Read the full statement here.

SERI launches three new research publications (28 July 2016). On Friday 29 July SERI is launched three new research publications drawing on our clients’ experiences of the right of access to adequate housing in different contexts in South Africa, the implications of our research findings and our litigation experiences. SERI released two new Community Practice Note series and our first Policy Brief. >>Read the full media alert here.

Court saves 463 people from eviction in Jeppestown (15 June 2016). The Johannesburg High Court yesterday rescinded an eviction order against 463 Jeppestown residents. The notice directing the residents to appear in court told them that they should appear on 17 February 2015, but the notice was only served on 2 March 2015. The eviction hearing actually took place on 24 March 2015. None of the residents attended the hearing. Acting Judge Naude rescinded and set aside the eviction order. >>Read the full statement here.

SERI launches new sale in execution guide (3 June 2016). Entitled ‘Preventing or Opposing a Sale in Execution: A Legal Guide’, the guide is a resource for individuals and households who are facing the threat of a sale in execution of their homes by creditors, as well as for community-based paralegals and lawyers who deal with sales in execution of people’s homes or bank repossessions. >>Read the full statement here.

Constitutional Court upholds debtors’ rights (21 April 2016). The Constitutional Court held that a consumer who falls into arrears with her loan repayments can reinstate her credit agreement by bringing her account up-to-date, even after a bank has obtained judgment for the full amount she borrowed. >>Read the full statement here.

Ground breaking informal settlement ruling: upgrading policy is binding and must be obeyed (5 April 2016). After 20 years of broken delivery promises, the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court ordered the City of Johannesburg (the City) to apply to the Gauteng Province for a grant to upgrade the Slovo Park Informal Settlement. This was a ground-breaking judgment, which established that the UISP is binding on municipalities. >>Read the full statement here.

Judgment in ground-breaking informal settlement upgrading case to be delivered tomorrow (4 April 2016). A judment with far reaching implications for the obligations of local government to guarantee the progressive realisation of peoples’ rights of access to adequate housing by upgrading informal settlements in situ was handed down in the High Court on 5 April 2015. >>Read the full statement here.

28 informal settlement residents granted bail after 3 weeks in prison (16 February 2016). The Lenasia Magistrates’ Court granted bail to 28 residents of Precast and Thembelihle informal settlements, who had been arrested in the wake of two days of protest in the area. Despite there being no evidence that any of the residents had committed any offence, they were detained for almost three weeks at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre (Sun City). >>Read the full statement here.

Court gives back house to Soweto family of seven (11 February 2016). The Gauteng Local Division of the High Court ordered that a Soweto couple be re-registered as owners of a house that had been sold by First National Bank (FNB) even though they had already paid their mortgage off in full. >>Read the full statement here.