[OP-ED] On 1 November, Daily Maverick published an op-ed by SERI intern Damilola Alafiatayo, entitled World Cities Day — Holding the line on eviction protections for the vulnerable, considering the amendments to the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (the PIE Act).
After we marked World Cities Day on 31 October, the op-ed argues that it is time to reflect on an emerging threat to eviction protections for the poor in South Africa through the proposed amendments to the PIE Act. 
The Amendment Bill is currently making its way to Parliament following a public consultation process by the Department of Human Settlements.
The PIE Act was enacted to give effect to section 26(3) of the Constitution, which prohibits arbitrary evictions and requires courts to consider all relevant circumstances before granting an eviction order.
Commenting on the amendments, the op-ed argues that:
“In its current form, the PIE Act speaks directly to protections against unlawful evictions in urban contexts and what happens to people who have nowhere else to go. However, the protections offered by the Constitution and three decades of case law are now at risk of being eroded.”
- Download the full op-ed here.