In this newsletter we cover highlights May to November 2025. During this period, SERI launched three research products. The first is a Women’s Spaces publication entitled, ‘A Gendered Analysis of Informal Settlements in South Africa’, which explores land and housing through a women's equality lens by focusing on women's equal access to, use of, and control over land and housing in an informal settlement context. The second is a research report, entitled, ‘Food for Thought: Reflections on Food (In)Security. Laws, Experiences, Interventions’, which aims to better understand how some of SERI’s partners and client groups have been affected by, and responded to, food insecurity and hunger issues. Lastly, SERI launched a new rights guide for retail market traders in eThekwini entitled, ‘Trading in Retail Markets in eThekwini: Your Rights’ in partnership with the South African Informal Traders Forum (SAITF). The guide provides a comprehensive overview of the rights of retail market traders, relevant laws and policies, and the responsibilities of the municipality. It also outlines avenues for recourse in instances where traders’ rights are infringed.
The litigation highlights during this period include Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia v Operation Dudula, where the Johannesburg High Court declared Operation Dudula’s conduct unlawful and affirmed that “human dignity has no nationality”, interdicting Operation Dudula and its leaders from harassing people they assume are foreign nationals. In November, the Johannesburg High Court ordered the City of Johannesburg to urgently engage with informal traders following their unlawful removal from inner-city sites. In October, the Pietermaritzburg High Court halted evictions of KwaDukuza residents until strict conditions and meaningful engagement are met.
SERI’s advocacy efforts this period included hosting an exhibition and panel discussion highlighting informal trade in Johannesburg, participating in the 2025 Public Interest Legal Gathering, and rolling out a new guide for community advice offices.
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