TO: All Media
ATTENTION: Journalists and Editors
ISSUED: Thursday, 26 February 2026
The Municipality welcomes the recent ruling by the High Court of South Africa dismissing the application by the Hekpoort Residents Association, represented by Mr Grant Pickett, to halt the Dr Sefularo Village and Vogelzang housing developments in Hekpoort. The decision clears the way for the projects to resume and return to schedule.
The court found that the application lacked merit and amounted to an abuse of the court process. The Association had sought an interdict to stop construction until the Municipality could produce building plans, environmental reports, and permits. Nevertheless, the court ruled that the legal requirements for granting such relief were not met.
The applicant failed to comply with the requirements of a mandamus (a court order that forces an authority to perform a legal duty). Furthermore, the applicant failed to demonstrate a prima facie case (sufficient evidence at first glance) to prove that they had a clear right, that they would suffer serious harm, or that there was no other available remedy.
The court further noted that the appropriate legal recourse for challenging a decision made by an organ of state, such as the Municipality, is through a review application under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA), rather than an interdict. The applicants could also have requested the relevant documents through the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
The Dr Sefularo Village project was approved between 2011 and 2012, with no objections recorded at the time. The court observed that the Association’s first attempt to halt the project only began in 2024 and found the delay of nearly 12 years in raising objections to be unjustifiable.
The court also reaffirmed the Municipality’s constitutional mandate under Section 152 to provide housing and promote social and economic development. It further noted that the application sought to disrupt a legitimate government housing programme aimed at addressing homelessness.
Hekpoort is surrounded by several informal settlements where many people live in uninhabitable conditions without adequate access to essential services. It was for this reason that the Mogale City Council took a strategic decision to establish the Dr. Sefularo Village project, the first of its kind in the area, aimed at alleviating homelessness and improving the living conditions of residents through access to basic services.
Once completed, the project will deliver 190 two-bedroom housing units, a refurbished water storage tank to ensure adequate water supply, and a sewerage package to support sustainable living. This development will address long-standing inequalities while promoting social cohesion, dignity, and inclusive community development.
Mogale City, in collaboration with the Gauteng Provincial Government’s Department of Human Settlements, remains committed to delivering much-needed housing and improving the quality of life for residents. The Municipality will thus continue to implement projects that support social and economic development while adhering to all legal and regulatory requirements.
Ends.