Melgisedek residents await crucial High Court ruling
· Citizen
Occupants of the infamous Melgisedek building in Pretoria are sitting ducks as they wait to hear the outcome of a court case between the DA in Tshwane and the City of Tshwane in the High Court in Pretoria this month.
Melgisedek building is undergoing demolition following its condemnation and status as a notorious, hijacked, and unsafe structure.
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Melgisedek building undergoing demolition
Located near the Union Buildings, it has been plagued by severe overcrowding, crime and fire incidents, prompting a city-led eviction and regeneration project.
Last month, a court ordered the eviction of illegal occupants. The relocation process has faced legal challenges from organisations like AfriForum, regarding the safety and suitability of the proposed temporary relocation sites.
The so-called Melgisedek Groot Trek has been temporarily halted while the vacant piece of land on the corner of Nico Smith Street and Johan Heyns Drive stands empty and vulnerable to theft.
Gezina resident Mike Grobler said some of the tents meant to house the Melgisedek residents had already been stolen.
“I hear that five of the tents were stolen last week. A hole was cut in the wire to steal it and, worst of all, there is a security guard on duty 24 hours a day,” he said.
Grobler said residents were grateful that the attempt to dump the occupants in the area had been stopped.
DA in Tshwane waiting for court outcome
DA Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink said they were waiting the outcome of the application for leave to intervene in the case against the City of Tshwane in the high court by 9 April.
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“Over the years, the DA has been fighting the cause to have Melgisedek restored and protected as a heritage site.
“The way this administration wants to do the eviction will only move the societal problems of Melgisedek to a different location,” he said.
DA Tshwane caucus spokesperson Jacqui Uys said there were three cases linked to Melgisedek, which include the DA’s case, Lawyers for Human Rights and the city’s eviction order, which will be heard in court this month.
City of Tshwane acting MMC for corporate and shared services Hannes Coetzee, who took over from Action SA’s Kholofelo Morodi, has described the court decision to reject AfriForum’s bid to block the relocation as a victory for safety and fairness in Tshwane.
Morodi was suspended from her role at the city after she and two others were named during the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, linked to alleged tender fraud.
High court dismissed urgent application
Last week, the High Court in Pretoria dismissed an urgent interdict application brought by AfriForum, which sought to prevent the relocation of unlawful occupants from Melgisedek building in Riviera.
Coetzee said this ruling upholds the eviction order previously granted by the high court and removes the final legal barrier to implementing a humane and responsible plan.
“Preparations are complete, and this will ensure that no-one is left without shelter during this transition.
“This judgment sends a clear message: efforts to delay or derail essential progress through prolonged legal challenges and technical objections will not halt our commitment to ending urban decay across Tshwane,” he said.
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