Unemployed tenant digs his heels in
A Durban businessman who has been living rent-free for more than two years in a R12m Umhlanga penthouse has applied for leave to appeal an eviction order in a bid to extend his stay.
Siqu Zungu, who is pleading poverty, was last month ordered by the Durban Regional Court to vacate the four-bedroom duplex penthouse by 24 September.
The Sunday Times reports that he applied for leave to appeal the eviction ruling two weeks ago.
This follows a lengthy legal battle with his landlord, Dr Blaine Bloy, who has spent about R700 000 over the past two years in trying to have Zungu evicted from the apartment.
He said Zungu, despite ‘not paying rental and not paying water and lights, and having illegally connected the electricity and water’, had been granted another three months of unpaid accommodation.
Magistrate Thobeka Nomvungu last month found Zungu had been ‘in unlawful occupation (of the property) since the expiry of the lease’ at the end of June 2021.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
