Delft residents given deadline to vacate houses

The project is expected to provide formal housing to some 16 000 families

The Cape High Court has given the more than 2 000 families - who are illegally occupying houses in Delft on the Cape Flats - until February 17 to vacate the unfinished houses or face being thrown out.

Judge Deon van Zyl made the ruling after hearing arguments from lawyers representing all the parties in the housing dispute. Earlier, lawyers representing the families had asked the court to give the people at least one month notice to vacate if eviction order was granted.

Although lawyers for the Western Cape Local Government and Housing MEC had initially asked for the families to be evicted within 48 hours, they later relented informing the court that provincial housing authorities were flexible about when the families should vacate - as long as they would be evicted.

Van Zyl also ordered that Cape Town councillor Frank Martin refrain from inciting the people to re-occupy the houses. Van Zyl said if the families refused to vacate, they should be forcibly evicted by the sheriff. He also ordered the police to take whatever action necessary to ensure that the invaders do not re-occupy the houses.

But the mood outside court was defiant. While Martin received a tongue lashing from the judge inside the courtroom for instigating the invaders, he received a hero's welcome outside the court.

A mass rally is planned for tomorrow by the residents to plot their next move. - SABC