The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has responded to growing public interest regarding the delay in enforcing an eviction order against King Khoisan SA and his followers, who have been camping at the Union Buildings for nearly seven years. Despite the expiration of the 30-day deadline on Saturday for the group to vacate, the department has yet to carry out the forced removal, citing procedural and compassionate reasons for the delay.
King Khoisan SA and his followers have been camped at the iconic Union Buildings in Pretoria, near the Nelson Mandela statue, advocating for the Khoisan people to be recognized as the first nation of South Africa. Their demands also include the removal of the term “coloured” from official government documents, a movement that has sparked widespread debate and garnered significant attention. However, despite a court order issued on December 11 for them to vacate the premises, they have made it clear that they will not leave voluntarily.
Department spokesperson Lennox Mabaso explained that although the judge’s ruling was made in December, there had been delays in serving the group with the full written judgment. The eviction order could not be enforced until the respondents, including King Khoisan SA and his followers, had been formally served with the official written judgment, which had only been made available weeks after the initial court decision. Mabaso emphasized that the 30-day countdown for the eviction process began only after the order was properly served, and not immediately following the court’s judgment.
The issue has attracted considerable media attention, with journalists descending on the Union Buildings over the weekend in anticipation of a potential eviction. However, Mabaso clarified that the department had not yet moved to enforce the order due to these procedural delays. He also noted that the department’s approach has been more compassionate, especially in light of the recent tragic car accident involving King Khoisan SA. The accident, which occurred on Friday in the Eastern Cape, left King Khoisan SA seriously injured and his wife, Queen Khoisan SA (Cynthia Triagaardt), tragically dead.
Mabaso expressed the department’s commitment to showing support for the affected parties, stating that the focus should now be on offering prayers and support during this difficult time. “We still have three weeks until the deadline. Our focus for now must be on prayers and support to the affected parties. As we do with any human being involved in a tragic accident and losing a pillar of their lives, I think in the spirit of Ubuntu we can offer our support and refrain from other things. But, that does not mean the court order is suspended,” Mabaso said, reiterating that the eviction process would still proceed once the appropriate steps have been taken.
While the Khoisan group’s occupation of the Union Buildings has drawn attention to their cause, the legal and emotional complexities surrounding the eviction have added layers of difficulty for all parties involved. As the deadline looms, the department’s balanced approach of adhering to the court order while showing empathy in the wake of a family tragedy reflects the nuanced challenges of balancing justice with humanity.
