A Stellenbosch property trust's application against the illegal occupation of a family-owned property, renamed 'Azania' by the occupiers, was postponed to 6 September in the Western Cape High Court yesterday. The application for an interdict by the owners of Watergang was last postponed on 21 August because Advocate Ayanda Gladile had been appointed after residents of the shacks collected money for a legal fightback, and he needed time to prepare.

Yesterday the case was postponed by Judge Robert Henney for further assessment of the circumstances of those living there. Speaking on the sidelines of the application, Gladile told News24 that so far about 40% of the residents living in about 900 shacks had been interviewed to establish their individual socio-economic needs for the purposes of opposing the eviction.

The interdict application was brought by Wynand Stephanus Smit, Pieter Steenkamp, Manie Malan and Esme Smit in their capacities as trustees of the WS Smit Watergang Trust, following alleged illegal occupations which began in May.

A first interdict to remove them was issued in May, and then a second in August. The owners and people living on the land now have an agreement that, until the latest interdict application to remove everybody is finalised, no more shacks will be built.

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