Eldorado Park residents occupy vacant land amid ongoing housing crisis
Long-marginalised residents say decades of failed housing delivery have forced them to occupy municipal land, calling for dialogue and legal protection.
A group of long-marginalised residents in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, has occupied vacant municipal land, citing decades of exclusion from state housing opportunities since 1994.
The Eldorado Park Gauteng Housing Crisis Committee explained that overcrowding in backyard dwellings and a lack of progress in housing delivery have left residents frustrated, despite repeated government promises.
In a media statement issued on January 12, the committee emphasised that the occupation is not an act of defiance, but a desperate plea for recognition, engagement, and inclusion in housing programmes.
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“Residents are seeking acknowledgment and meaningful participation in housing development. This is about access to basic rights, not confrontation,” said the Committee.
The Committee has reported that officials from the JMPD have threatened to remove occupiers and demolish their structures.
It noted that such actions would contravene the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998 (PIE), as well as Section 26(3) of the Constitution, which protects residents from eviction without a court order and requires a just and equitable process.
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In response, the Committee has formally written to the City of Johannesburg, the JMPD and the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, calling for:
An immediate halt to any evictions or demolitions without a valid court order.
Meaningful engagement between municipal authorities and affected residents.
Provision of temporary emergency accommodation under the National Housing Code (2009), in line with Constitutional Court rulings.
The committee urged authorities to approach the situation with sensitivity, noting that residents’ actions stem from long-standing housing inequalities rather than intent to flout the law.
“This is a call for justice and human dignity. And it requires urgent attention to prevent further hardship for those who have waited decades for adequate housing.”
