Members of the shack dwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo marched in South Africa on June 12, 2024, to protest a proposed land bill [1].
The demonstrations target the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Amendment Bill, known as the PIE Bill. The legislation is at the center of a conflict between government efforts to regulate land use and the struggle for housing security among the country's most vulnerable populations.
Protests took place in three areas: Durban, Johannesburg, and the Mpumalanga provinces [2]. The marches were scheduled for June 12, 2024, as part of a nationwide effort to bring attention to the potential impacts of the legislation [1].
Activists from Abahlali baseMjondolo said the bill threatens the rights of vulnerable communities and worsens the existing housing crisis [3]. They argue that the law would make it easier for the state to remove people from their homes without providing adequate alternatives.
Conversely, the government said the bill is intended to combat organized land invasions [3]. Officials said the measure would strengthen enforcement mechanisms and address the activities of land-invasion syndicates [3].
The movement's opposition is rooted in the belief that land is fundamental to the survival and dignity of the people. This sentiment reflects the views of Frantz Fanon, who said, "For a colonized people the most essential value, because the most concrete, is first and foremost the land: the land which will bring them bread and, above all, dignity" [3].
Organizers of the march said the proposed amendments prioritize property rights over the basic human right to shelter. They continue to call for a legislative approach that protects the poor rather than criminalizing their search for land [2].
“The legislation is at the center of a conflict between government efforts to regulate land use and the struggle for housing security.”
The clash over the PIE Amendment Bill highlights the enduring tension in post-apartheid South Africa regarding land redistribution and urban poverty. While the state views organized land occupation as a criminal issue managed by syndicates, grassroots movements view it as a necessary response to a systemic lack of affordable housing. The outcome of this legislative battle will likely determine the legal threshold for evictions and the level of protection afforded to informal settlers.
