7 April, 2005 Press Release MEDIA STATEMENT ON STANHOPE MANSIONS JOHANNESBURG HOUSING COMPANY TO START EVICTIONS FROM STANHOPE MANSIONS The eviction of squatters from Stanhope Mansions in Hillbrow is due to start this week. Owners of the building, the Johannesburg Housing Company, were granted permission by the Johannesburg High Court last week to remove the illegal squatters in terms of an eviction order which was first granted on the 3rd July 2003. This was done in accordance to the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998. However, following the initial eviction 20 months ago, the JHC has suffered numerous attempted, and one successful but violent, re-invasion of the building. Lengthy legal battles have ensued with an attorney acting on behalf of the invaders. This attorney not only managed to falsely get security guards at the building arrested to give him time to allow squatters back into the building, but has also used numerous, but dubious, delaying tactics for months. He filed a leave to appeal against the first eviction order which was dismissed. He then said he was going to file a petition to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein which, was recently discovered, was never actually done. In December, the High Court once again ruled in favour of the JHC and ordered that the tenants should be evicted in January. Yet again, the attorney said he was launching a leave to appeal but he did not lodge the papers with the Registrar. All these actions have resulted in numerous delays in getting the building refurbished. The JHC however, is determined to go ahead with the evictions this week. The building is in a degraded, unhygienic and unsafe condition and is unfit for human habitation. "We tried negotiating with invaders but failed. We are still offering the tenants first option on accommodation in the building once it is renovated. Unfortunately this attorney, purporting to act on behalf of invaders, is allegedly taking a lot of money from tenants for this long and protracted legal action which has not succeeded. At the end of the day, the tenants have wasted a lot of money. This attorney is allegedly working in cahoots with certain criminal elements within the buildings who are too, being rewarded financially for their actions, while allowing human beings to live in unsafe conditions. Two criminal charges have been laid against Mike Zulu for trespassing and possession of an llegal firearm. This is the second charge against Zulu, the first one being for fraud laid by the Gauteng Department of Housing. "The JHC is committed to giving people affordable and decent accommodation and improve standards of living, while at the same time cleaning up the area around the building in Hillbrow to give tenants and their children safe quality of life. The actions of the slumlords and their delaying tactics of the attorneys will not be tolerated," said Dombolo Masilela Marketing Communications Manager for the JHC. The revamp of Stanhope Mansions will cost up R8 million. "We are expecting some levels of resistance and violence but this will not deter us," she said. The JHC, which is currently building the R98,7 million Brickfields project in Newtown, has also successfully renovated 17 former slum buildings and converted them into successful social housing projects. Another three will be renovated this year. To date, about 4000 tenants have been put into quality accommodation. The JHC has added 8% to the housing stock in the inner city. It is also facilitating the eKaya Neighbourhood Programme bringing together 26 landlords in Pietersen Street, Hillbrow, to work together in cleaning up the area to make it safe and habitable for their tenants. Issued by : Dombolo Masilela Marketing Communications Manager Johannesburg Housing Company Phone : +27 11 241 6900 Fax : +27 11 836 6887 Cell: : 083 483 7988 Email : dombolo@jhc.co.za