After spending six years camped outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria, members of the Khoisan community were forcibly removed by South African authorities on Monday.

The group had been squatting on the government grounds since 2018, demanding official recognition as the country’s first indigenous people and equal benefits under national policies.

Despite their lengthy protest, their makeshift camp was dismantled following a court-ordered eviction.

The Struggle for Recognition

The Khoi and San people, collectively known as the Khoisan, have lived in southern Africa for thousands of years, with archaeological evidence confirming their deep historical roots in the region.

However, they have long fought for recognition in a country where policies predominantly benefit the black majority.

Their demands include official acknowledgment as South Africa’s oldest indigenous community, inclusion of their languages among the country’s 12 official languages, and the return of ancestral land seized during white-minority rule.

A Fight Against Classification and Exclusion

One of the group’s major grievances is the continued use of the term “coloured” to classify mixed-race individuals, a label imposed during apartheid and still widely used in official documents today.

They argue that this classification strips them of their indigenous identity and keeps them marginalized.

The Long Journey to Protest

In 2018, members of the Khoisan community embarked on an extraordinary 1,000-kilometer journey on foot to Pretoria to make their voices heard.

They set up camp on the lush lawns outside the Union Buildings, home to South Africa’s government and the presidential palace.

Over the years, their temporary settlement became a symbol of their resistance, drawing attention to their cause but failing to gain the recognition they sought.

The Government’s Response

The South African government issued a statement following the eviction, citing a December 2024 Pretoria High Court order that permitted the removal of the squatters.

Officials stated that there had been no formal opposition or appeal to the ruling, making the eviction legally enforceable.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the Khoisan community’s grievances, the government maintained that no single group has the right to claim public land indefinitely.

A Tragic Delay

The eviction had initially been scheduled for January 2025 but was postponed due to a tragic accident.

The Khoisan queen, who had been camped at the protest site alongside the king, died in a car crash while traveling back to Pretoria.

The king survived but sustained serious injuries.

In the wake of this loss, authorities temporarily delayed the eviction before ultimately proceeding with it in February.

What’s Next for the Khoisan Community?

Despite their forced removal, the Khoisan’s fight for recognition is far from over.

Their demands for land restitution, linguistic inclusion, and equal rights remain unresolved.

Whether this eviction will fuel further activism or lead to negotiations with the government remains to be seen.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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