The Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha has granted residents an urgent interim order restraining the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality from demolishing more structures or unlawfully evicting anyone from the informal settlements of Airport Valley and Walmer 1948. This decision comes after the municipality's bulldozers demolished 14 homes in Airport Valley on September 28, 2026, leaving many residents without homes. The court also ordered the City to rebuild the homes that were torn down and barred officials and law enforcement from intimidating residents.
The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality had planned to relocate residents from Airport Valley and Walmer 1948 to temporary relocation units (TRUs) at Walmer 1948 while it builds 445 RDP houses at Airport Valley for those on its beneficiary list. However, residents have rejected the offer, citing that the TRUs are vandalised, roofless, and lack basic services such as running water, electricity, and sewerage. The proximity of the TRUs to the Walmer landfill site, where rubbish is burned daily, has also raised health concerns among residents.
The land occupation dispute involves three groups of vulnerable households: RDP beneficiaries, residents displaced by the June 2024 floods, and residents whom the municipality regards as unlawful occupants. In 2025, the court recognised that the residents lacked the financial means to easily pack up and move their families and belongings. The residents have expressed willingness to relocate for the new housing development but demand that land be made available with necessary infrastructure, including sewerage, water, and electricity.
Phase 1 of the RDP houses project was completed in 2024, and Phase 2, which entails the construction of 445 fully serviced RDP houses, was approved in August 2023. A site at Walmer 1948 was identified as a temporary relocation site, and 500 TRUs were constructed for accommodation of beneficiaries. However, the relocation process has been halted due to concerns over the condition of the TRUs and the lack of essential services.
The court has ordered the municipality to register all individuals and households targeted for relocation, ensure full access to water, sanitation, and electricity, formulate a structured relocation plan, and coordinate transport services. Community leader Mara Payi alleged that despite a 2025 court order prohibiting the City from evicting them, Mayor Babalwa Lobishe had issued an undertaking to party supporters to demolish their houses.
Those who faced eviction on September 28, 2026, claim they were violently chased from their homes, while others were at work when their houses were demolished and their furniture destroyed, rendering them homeless. Nomboniso Ntunduse, whose home was demolished, expressed concerns over the condition of the TRUs and the impact of the landfill site on their health.
The municipality's spokesperson, Sithembiso Soyaya, had not responded to questions from Daily Maverick by the time of publication. The court order has provided temporary relief to the residents, but the situation remains uncertain as the municipality has not provided a clear timeline for the delivery of the RDP houses.
Key points
- - The Eastern Cape High Court has halted evictions in Gqeberha's Airport Valley and ordered the municipality to rebuild demolished homes. - Residents have rejected relocation to vandalised and roofless temporary units beside a landfill site, citing health concerns and lack of basic services. - The municipality aims to build 445 RDP houses at Airport Valley, but residents demand relocation with necessary infrastructure and a clear timeline.
