The court order interdicts the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood watch and the protesters from, firstly, trespassing on the development sites and, secondly, vandalising, sabotaging, committing arson or damaging any of the applicants’ property including but not limited to its construction site, construction vehicles and equipment, and, thirdly, interfering with, intimidating, threatening and/or harassing… the applicants’ staff, its contractors’ staff or any third party engaged to provide a service to the applicants.
It also interdicted them from obstructing the route of a mobile crane and also interfering with the erection of the crane.
Samaai said that the force the police used against the community was disproportionate to the nature of the protest. It only fuelled the conflict.
“There was no public violence so they can’t charge them under the Gathering Act… it is clear on protesting,” Samaai said.
TimesLIVE reached out to the development company, BLOK, which then referred to their attorney, Lauren Fine of Norton Rose Fulbright.
Fine has not yet responded, and it is unclear if or when a new crane company will be hired.