Legal Articles and Guides

The Gauteng Human Settlements Department has been ordered to pay businessman David Mabilu’s company Vharanani Properties more than R1.85m to partly settle a dispute over the construction of low-cost housing and rental units.

The government’s delay in finalising land restitution claims brought almost 30 years ago has complicated things for the Dikgalaopeng in Limpopo, which is embroiled in a legal battle against two companies that are building a shopping complex on the land it claimed in 1997.

Durban business owners have complained that despite damages to their property after July’s civil unrest which has hampered their operations, the Thekwini Municipality continues to bill them for utilities.

Developers have said if the interdict stopping construction of the Amazon Observatory office park is not lifted soon, the development will be canned, leaving residents without a public park, affordable housing, cycling trails and almost R4bn in road upgrades.

Lazarus Mosala stopped the expansion of one of the world’s biggest opencast mines for years by refusing to leave the land where his animals graze. In the process, he extracted concessions worth more than R8.6m from Sishen Iron Ore.

Judgment has been reserved in the Constitutional Court case brought by the Human Rights Commission (HRC) against three major banks for repossessing homes when small amounts were owed on mortgages.

The head of investment and infrastructure in the Presidency, Kgosientso ‘Sputla’ Ramokgopa, and his wife Georgia are being sued for at least R800 000 by tenants who claim the couple reneged on an agreement to sell them their luxury house.

The developers of a R4.5bn office park, the City of Cape Town, a group of First Nations People and the Western Cape Government have lost the right to appeal against an urgent interdict stopping construction, which was to include low-cost housing, a public park and what was intended to be the African headquarters of e-commerce giant Amazon.

Free State housing authorities and the SIU have launched far-reaching litigation to cancel the so-called ‘asbestos scam’ contract – and to recover the R225m spent on it.

The North West High Court has granted a number of occupiers of government-owned farms leave to appeal against an order interdicting them from residing on the 10 farms which are valued at more than R50m.

Property mogul Keith Bothongo has vowed to institute further litigation against the Department of Public Works for alleged defamation, loss of income, and reputational damage after winning a first round about rental payments.

Flamboyant pop music sensation and community activist Nomsa Mazwai is embroiled in a legal tug of war with the Jabulani Manor Body Corporate in Soweto.

The Western Cape Government has argued that Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath was incorrect when she ruled the rights of First Nations people outweighed the economic and infrastructure benefits of the Amazon office development in its court application to overturn her ruling that blocked the R4.5bn construction.

Fancourt’s billionaire owner Hasso Plattner has expelled three prominent homeowners from SA’s most exclusive golf club.

A Brits magistrate has refused a bid by the municipality to evict a single mother, whose child has special needs, from her home.