Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Judgment reserved on Melgisedek relocation; AfriForum keeps pressure on Tshwane Metro

AfriForum appeared in the High Court in Pretoria today in connection with an urgent application to stop the relocation of hundreds of residents of the Melgisedek building to a site in Gezina. After hearing arguments, the court reserved judgment until Thursday and asked the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality to cease any further developments regarding the relocation until the judgment has been handed down.

The application follows after it came to light that the Tshwane Metro intends to relocate approximately 450 people to a vacant piece of land on the corner of Nico Smith Street and Johan Heyns Drive – a site that AfriForum believes is not suitable for such development.

In its court papers, AfriForum argued that the planned relocation poses serious risks to safety, infrastructure and public order and that the Metro failed to follow proper planning, consultation and transparent processes. The organisation also highlighted that the land in question is not zoned for a large-scale tent city and that basic services, such as chemical toilet facilities, refuse collection and water supply, will be inadequate.

“We made it clear today that this is not simply a logistical decision, but one that has profound consequences for both the Moot community and the Melgisedek residents themselves,” says Arno Roodt, AfriForum’s Head of Community Structures for the northern region.

Roodt emphasises that the organisation does not deny the necessity of intervention at Melgisedek, which is located near the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, but that the manner in which it is currently being done is unacceptable: “As usual, the City Council is acting reactively rather than proactively – and in doing so they are simply making their problems the Moot’s rather than tackling it sustainably.”

Llewellynn Hemmens, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Pretoria, says the organisation will continue to monitor the process closely: “We are now awaiting the court’s ruling, but in the meantime, we remain focused on protecting the rights of all Pretoria residents and ensuring that the Metro is held accountable.”

During AfriForum’s visit to the site in Gezina this morning, a wire fence had already been erected, as well as 24 tents and two taps (which leaked). There were still no toilet, washing and cooking facilities installed. Although it is the Tshwane Metro’s intention to relocate the Melgisedek residents by Thursday (when the court ruling will take place), the court asked the Metro for an undertaking to not do anything further regarding the possible relocation before Thursday’s ruling.

The civil rights organisation encourages residents of Pretoria to support the court case and add their names to the fight by signing the petition.