SERI labels CoJ raid of hijacked buildings 'inhumane and unconstitutional'

Herman Mashaba, Johannesburg Mayor is leading efforts to reclaim dilapidated and hijacked buildings in the City centre.

The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) has heavily criticised the City of Joburg's push to clean up the inner city and reclaiming the illegally occupied buildings.

They are labeling the raids by the Joburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Mayor, Herman Mashaba and South African Police Service (Saps) inhumane and unconstitutional.

Stuart Wilson, Executive Director at SERI says the authorities conducting the raids cannot storm into multi-story building and brand every inhabitant, without any evidence, as criminals while subjecting them to unlawful searches.

This is only being done because the City knows that it can't evict people in those buildings without providing them with alternative accommodation. This is another ploy by the City of Joburg to ignore the poor people of the city.

Stuart Wilson, Executive Director at SERI

What we need to see in an inner city regeneration strategy is one that expands access to affordable housing, truly affordable housing for poor people and treats them as human beings.

Stuart Wilson, Executive Director at SERI

The people who live in these buildings are people who clean and guard your buildings and we're treating them as if they are not fully, realised human beings and full citizens of South Africa with human rights says Wilsons.

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