Four-year legal battle ends as Cape Town Mayor delivers homes to rightful owners

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has officially handed over the keys to lawful beneficiaries of the City’s Belhar-Pentech housing project, marking a significant milestone after a lengthy four-year legal battle to evict unlawful occupants.

The handover ceremony took place following an unsettling incident where completed units were hijacked just hours before the scheduled handover on 16 May 2021.

The Belhar-Pentech project, part of the Breaking New Ground initiative, comprises 340 state-subsidised units designed to provide housing for the metro's most vulnerable residents. To date, 332 units have been successfully handed over, while the remaining eight units, which were unlawfully occupied, are still embroiled in a protracted court eviction process.

"This situation was brought to my attention shortly after I took office in 2021, and my office immediately launched eviction proceedings," said Mayor Hill-Lewis. "Over four years of court delays, the legal system unwittingly permitted the grave injustice of the illegal hijacking of these homes."

The emotional handover saw beneficiaries like Oom Karel, who was thrilled to step into his first home, and Uncle Errol, who transitioned from living in a single room to a spacious two-bedroom unit complete with a kitchen, lounge, and bathroom.

"We are overjoyed to hand the keys to these dignified homes to the rightful beneficiaries," said Hill-Lewis.

The hijacking was orchestrated by individuals already residing in the area, who relocated from their homes to seize these new units. The legal proceedings faced multiple delays due to various reasons, including last-minute changes to legal representation and the challenges faced by newly appointed lawyers unfamiliar with the case.

The City’s R44.2 million Belhar-Pentech project was constructed between February 2018 and December 2023. Nearly all units were occupied long before the court order reclaimed the eight unlawfully occupied homes in September 2024, followed by an appeal order in February 2025. The City highlighted that unlawful occupants had already been living in homes in the area, and housing kits were offered to those evicted as part of the process.

Councillor Carl Pophaim, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, urged communities to assist in preventing criminal activities and unlawful occupations in rental and subsidy units. "See something, say something is our campaign call to action – if we work together, we can create safer communities," he stated.