Anti-Land Invasion Unit (Cape Town) Explained

In 2009, the Anti-Land Invasion Unit was created by the City of Cape Town in an effort to stop people from illegally attempting to occupy land.^[1] In 2011 the City stated that the unit demolished about 300 shacks each month.^[2] The Anti-Land Invasions Unit is the biggest unit in the City's law enforcement operation.^[3]

Unlawful actions by the Unit

When the unit was founded its director, stated that:

However, according to Sheldon Magardie of Lawyers for Human Rights the unit "is acting unlawfully". According to Magardie:

In May 2013 an article in The Daily Maverick claimed that the unit had acting illegally by evicting people from the Marikana Land Occupation without a court order and that City officials were justifying this in terms of a non-exist law and by lying about shacks that the unit had demolished being unoccupied.^[4] Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos later wrote that these evictions were "Brutal, inhumane, and totally unlawful"^[5]

Public criticism

Allegations of both violence and theft have been made against the unit by grassroots activists^[6] ^[7] and in the media.^[8] It May 2013 it was reported that the unit demolished a pre-school in Langa under questionable circumstances.^[9] ^[10] The People's Assembly has called for the unit to be disbanded.^[11]

Notes and References

http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/Citysantilandinvasionunittostoplandgrabs.aspx City’s anti-land invasion unit to stop land grabs
http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/73702 Cape Town anti-land invasion unit acting illegally, say rights lawyers
http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Lawenforcement/Pages/AntilandinvasionunitALI.aspx Anti-land invasion unit (ALI)
http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2013-05-06-city-of-cape-town-makes-up-law-to-justify-eviction-of-the-poor/#.UYcXFaLTx34 City of Cape Town makes up law to justify eviction of the poor
http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2013-05-09-cape-town-evictions-brutal-inhumane-and-totally-unlawful/ Cape Town evictions: Brutal, inhumane, and totally unlawful
http://allafrica.com/stories/201106071248.html Backyarders Injured in Anti-Land Invasion Demolition
http://www.abahlali.org/node/9677 Sleeping in the rain: even snakes treat us with more respect than the City of Cape Town, Abahlal baseMarikana Press Statement
http://mg.co.za/article/2013-05-10-00-shock-and-awe-tactics-used-on-shack-dwellers 'Shock and awe tactics' used on shack dwellers
http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-05-08-in-langa-cape-town-a-dark-combo-of-housing-corruption-police-brutality/#.UYt0V6IyZvI In Langa, Cape Town: A dark combo of housing corruption & police brutality
http://westcapenews.com/?p=6252 Pre-school closes as City demolishes Langa community hall
http://www.amandla.org.za/home-page/1745-peoples-assembly-land-race-and-nation-conference-declaration People's Assembly Land, Race and Nation Conference declaration