Landmark judgment in favour of poor

Bravo Abahlali base Mjondolo

Great.....more thrash to pollute the Durban skyline. Our consititution needs serious amendments, as it was written by idiots drunk on post-1994 ideologies which are far removed from reality.

I think the judgement is great in that it uses the constitutional provisions to protect the poor and the vulnerable in our communities.It also ensures that the Minister of Housing enforces the laws in a just and proper manner. It goes further to force the hand of the Department to provide housing for the marginalised.

Since the euphoria of 1994 politicians,here I refer to those that competed in the Local Govt Elections who used these poor masses as " VOTE FODDER" and forgot about them as soon as their lazy bottoms got comfortable in their offices. As each lacal govt election came up,one heard the same promise " we will resettle the squatters in decent homes".Fifteen years on those squatters are still living under the most horrendous conditions.One senior Councillor said " squatters are part of South African life. Wonder which life he was referring to- His or Theirs?

The poor will always be with us.

The ANC will need these people again in 2014 when voting time comes around again. Once again they will vote for the ANC on the housing delivery ticket only to stay in the same squatter camps until they are needed again in 2019.

And that's how the soap opera continues.

Illegal occupation implies that this is an unlawful action. An unlawful action must be a criminal action. How can any court condone criminality?
This act should be separated from provincial and state responsibility to its constituents. These con court judges are sitting on their high horses, pontificating on justice, all the while garnishing their reputations as champions of the downtrodden while rate paying citizens will have to face the day to day realities of their actions.

The current gover'nt cannot do everything for the people. Squatter camps are not in SA only but around the world. If the gov't hsvr to build houses for all the needy the tax payers will fell the pain first and the gov't.

Amandla to ABM! The courts are the last line of defence the poor and vulnerable citizenry have against a powerful government that seems to have forgotten who put them in power. The integrity and independance of our courts must be protected at all costs for the protection of ordinary people against the government. This is a victory not just for ABM but for democracy. It shows that notwithstanding our many problems in this country, democracy is alive and well.

The scary thing is that this legislation, the Slums Act, shouldn't have even been conceptualised. But it was and the KZN govt made it a reality. Abahlali had to fight it from concept to ConCourt. And our government calls this democracy? This is not a victory, it is a reality check. Our local and provincial govts' are a law unto themselves.

That the Singh's and naidu's above say "F**k the Poor" and would throw them out on the street does not surprise me, but how is it that the liberating ANC aligns itself so fiercely against its own voters, its own manifesto and the lauded Freedom Charter? Why is it that they EMBRACE "Rich Man's Law" so strongly, pausing only just before elections to tell lies and utter promises it has no intention of keeping? ANC-style law, "in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread" (France). Knowing this cannot last and a backlash must surely arise (even the fifteen year patience of their loyal voters must end), is this the real reason behind the weakening of human rights laws and the strengthening of the police force's ability to shoot petty criminals and uppity natives (but NOT to act against kingpins or white collar criminals)? Well done to the courageous few, Abahlali base Mjondolo among them! Like the courageous few who stood up to the Nats while most of us looked on in fear (and even professed the Nats' "right" to discriminate!).

I concur with Pete a 100%. Mr. Elvis Naidu - please educate yourself on the law. 'Unlawfully occupying' doesn't mean it is a crime, not everything that's termed unlawful is a crime. And the government should protect the poor instead of always acting to frustrate their rights. What the ConCourt judges are in fact doing is administering justice because our government isn't interested in doing that. Justice is not just about criminal law and punishment or retribution.

And to Singh - your kind does not even deserve to be responded to!!