South African government heads to court over Knoflokskraal land occupation

The South African Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is approaching the Western Cape High Court to halt the ongoing occupation of state-owned land at Knoflokskraal. Minister Dean Macpherson stated that the government seeks to prevent further expansion, new construction, and the movement of building materials onto the site, which was originally earmarked for forestry and investment.

According to the department, over 4,000 structures have been built on the 2,000-hectare site since the occupation began six years ago. Macpherson noted that the occupation is not being driven by vulnerable people seeking homes, but rather by individuals establishing holiday homes. The government has also reported evidence of criminal activity, including the fraudulent sale of state-owned plots for approximately R1,500, and has submitted this evidence to the South African Police Service.

The legal application, scheduled for submission on 19 October, aims to restore the rule of law. While the KhoiSan community occupying the land maintains that the settlement is an act of ancestral reclamation, the government intends to seek a court order to stop further unlawful occupation and the sale of state land.