South African squatters say they will defy court order

Shortly after a Pretoria High Court judge ordered that they vacate the area, squatters in a dusty field near Johannesburg said they were preparing to fight for the plots they "bought" for 25 rand ($7.50).

Community leader Lymon Sibisi said: "I am prepared to fight for the land and will only leave here in a coffin. When the sheriff hands me the eviction notice I will accept it peacefully and then tear it up when he leaves."

Judge Pierre Rabie ordered that the squatters leave the area by Thursday, saying land invasions of any sort could not be condoned and the court would "not close its eyes to the devastating effects they have had on the economy of one of our neighbouring countries".

Sibisi said the court judgment "meant nothing to him".

Justifying the land grab by thousands of people over the past two weeks, Sibisi said they had had no option after being neglected by the government.

"There is no change in South Africa - black people still have no land, even though the liberation struggle is over. I don't want to talk to anyone about our problems. Mbeki must come here and see how we are living," Sibisi said.

Like many others in the field at Bredell, he says it's time the government addresses the plight of the homeless.

His reaction is common in the settlement, where the squatters insist they are not leaving the plots they now call home.

The property is owned by the government, Transnet and a private company, Groengras Eiendomme, which rents its portion to a farmer.

On Tuesday, the land invaders were given 48 hours to pack up and leave. The only ones allowed to remain are 23 people living in a compound which the Gauteng transport department decided to demolish three years ago.

The judge said they had already been compensated and had been given until July 31 to leave. Claims by some occupants that they had lived on the property for many years were dismissed.

Conveying the decision to the 300-odd people in Bredell on Tuesday afternoon, PAC leader Stanley Mogoba said his party understood their plight and would support any decision the community took.

He encouraged them to remain calm and avoid unnecessary confrontation.

Mogoba blamed the government for failing to meet the expectations of the country's landless.

However, Judge Rabie said the government was under no obligation to resettle the squatters and they should go back to where they had come from.

He said the constitution did uphold that people had a right to proper housing but the government was taking considerable steps to provide this.

Safety and Security Minister Steve Tshwete expressed satisfaction with the decision and was confident that the squatters would be moved. Outside the court he said the police would be used if necessary.

Police on Tuesday told the squatters to "make your arrangements to leave in peace - not in pieces".

- INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS (SOUTH AFRICA)