Legal eviction proceedings in compliance with the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE).
Evicting an occupier in South Africa — whether a non-paying tenant or an unlawful occupier — is a strictly regulated court process under the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE Act). Self-help eviction, such as changing locks or removing a person’s belongings without a court order, is unlawful and can expose a property owner to liability, regardless of how clear-cut the underlying right to the property is.
We guide landlords and property owners through the correct process from start to finish: the notice requirements, the section 4 notice served through the sheriff, the court application, and — where the matter is contested — representation at the eviction hearing itself.
We act for landlords and property owners across Midrand, Halfway House, Kyalami, Waterfall, Sunninghill and greater Gauteng, moving matters through the court process as efficiently as the PIE Act’s procedural requirements allow.
From notice to a court eviction order, a straightforward matter typically takes 2–4 months; a contested matter, especially one raising constitutional ‘just and equitable’ defences, can take considerably longer. We advise on realistic timing at the outset.
No — this is unlawful self-help eviction under South African law, regardless of arrears owed. Any eviction, without exception, requires a court order obtained through the proper PIE Act process.