Johannesburg - A high court judge yesterday granted the government an order to evict trespassers, backed by the radical Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), from land near Johannesburg International Airport, writes Patrick Laurence.
The order, granted by Judge Carel Rabie, gave the squatters, many of whom had been living in backyards in nearby townships, 48 hours to leave or face eviction by security forces.
The land, owned by several entities, including government, state-owned utilities and a farmer, had been largely unoccupied until it was "invaded" last week by black people willing to pay a 25 rand registration fee to PAC officials.
The occupation is a challenge to the authority of the governing African National Congress (ANC). Faced with defiance led by a rival party and fearful that investors might see the invasion as a replication of what is taking place in Zimbabwe, the government took a hard-line stance.