Rusana Philander

Residents from Hangberg, Hout Bay, as well as the leaders of the Peace and Mediation Forum, appeared in court yesterday on intimidation charges.

The two parties, consisting of 26 people, appeared in a packed Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Residents of the Dickie Meters Civic Association are accusing the Hangberg Peace and Mediation Forum of intimidation. They laid charges at the police station on October 20 after the forum laid the same charges against them. A charge of possession of a firearm has also been laid against Ruben Bailey.

The mediator of the Hangberg Peace and Mediation Forum, Brian Williams, has also been charged with intimidation.

The charges stem from unhappiness in Hangberg, after people were evicted from the slopes of the mountain last year by the City of Cape Town. The city subsequently appointed a mediator to bring peace to Hangberg.

The Peace and Mediation Forum was formed and the Peace and Mediation Accord was signed. The accord, which was recently made an order of the Western Cape High Court, provides for families still staying on the slopes of the mountain to be reintegrated into the community once a planned housing project is completed.

The case has been postponed until December 12 for further investigation.

rusanap@thenewage.co.za.