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Minister Thembi Simelane
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has refuted claims that the proposed Prevention of Illegal Eviction and Unlawful Occupation of Land Amendment Bill promotes homelessness.
Civic Movement Abahlali boMjondolo rejected the bill, describing it as anti-poor.
The Amendment Bill seeks to criminalise those who incite the unlawful invasion of land and properties. It further gives municipalities the power to apply for urgent interdicts even when it is not the owners of the land.
WATCH | Prof Richard Pithouse of the Global Centre for Advanced Studies has described the newly gazetted Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation Amendment Bill as anti-poor. pic.twitter.com/yYQRLHBubr
— SABC News (@SABCNews) April 17, 2026
The Department of Human Settlements has allocated 60 days for the public to submit their comments, with submissions expected by mid-June.
Public consultation sessions will be held across the country, with the first engagement expected to take place in May.
Simelane says the Bill, by its very own nature, refused that a correctly homeless person must be thrown into the street.
“Government must provide measures to secure you because you have been in that space. But who invited Bongi to be in that place? Sometimes it’s us, me, minister, I wake up, I want to be voted for, I say, any piece of land you see, including wetlands, by the way, Bongi (Bongiwe Zwane), no one protects this very same people we talk about. There’s no sanction which goes to the person who has incorrectly convinced people in the challenge that they have.
PODCAST | Bongiwe Zwane caught up with Minister Simelane to expand more on this:
