Joint Press Statement | Community Leaders To Shape The Future Of Housing And Land Justice At Tshwane Urban Activist School Think Tank 2026

Date: 18/08/2026


Community leaders, grassroots activists and civil society organisations will gather in Pretoria on 24 August 2026 for the Tshwane Urban Activist School (TUAS) Think Tank 2026, a collaborative initiative hosted by the Tshwane Leadership Foundation (TLF) in partnership with Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) and the Centre for Faith and Community (CFC) University of Pretoria.

The TUAS Think Tank will take place as part of the Feast of the Clowns 2026, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Under the theme “Reset. Organise. Rise. ~ Building Solidarity with Marginalised Communities”, the anniversary of the Social Justice programme builds on a longstanding tradition of bringing communities, activists, faith-based organisations and civil society partners together to reflect on social justice challenges, strengthen collective action and imagine more just and inclusive communities.

Across Tshwane, thousands of people continue to face insecure housing, inadequate basic services, forced evictions, overcrowding and unequal access to land. These challenges remain among the country’s most pressing human rights concerns, disproportionately affecting people living in informal settlements, low-income communities and other vulnerable groups.

The struggle for housing and land justice continues within a broader national debate about the protection of people’s constitutional rights. Recent developments, including the rejection of proposed amendments to the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE Act), have highlighted the ongoing challenges communities face in securing meaningful protection against homelessness, displacement and unlawful evictions. The Think Tank will provide space for communities and civil society actors to reflect on these challenges and explore pathways towards stronger protection of housing rights.

The Tshwane Urban Activist School is a long-standing leadership and community organising programme that equips grassroots leaders with practical knowledge on housing rights, land rights, constitutional protections, advocacy, community mobilisation and engagement with government institutions. Through this work, participants develop the skills and confidence to organise within their communities, advocate for systemic change and hold public institutions accountable.

The Think Tank will also place a particular focus on the continued barriers faced by women in accessing land, housing and property rights. Despite constitutional commitments to equality, many women, especially those from poor and marginalised communities, continue to experience structural obstacles that limit their ability to own, inherit, access and control land and housing. These inequalities are often worsened by poverty, discriminatory practices, insecure tenure arrangements and limited participation in decision making processes affecting communities.

Building on this foundation, the 2026 Think Tank will bring together community leaders, activists, legal practitioners, faith-based organisations and civil society partners to exchange experiences, identify emerging challenges and develop practical strategies to advance housing, land and spatial justice across Tshwane.

The discussions take place at a significant moment as South Africa prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections. Local government plays a critical role in delivering housing, basic services and spatial development. The Think Tank will therefore explore how communities can meaningfully engage municipalities, monitor service delivery, strengthen democratic participation and ensure elected representatives fulfil their constitutional obligations.

The event reflects the continued commitment of the partner organisations to building informed, organised and resilient communities. By strengthening grassroots leadership and collective advocacy, the partners seek to ensure that the constitutional rights to dignity, equality, adequate housing, land and property ownership are realised in practice, particularly for communities that continue to experience exclusion and inequality.

Members of the media are invited to attend and engage directly with community leaders, housing and land rights advocates and representatives from the partner organisations on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of urban justice in Tshwane.

Event Details

Date: 24 August 2026

Time: 10:00-14:00

Venue: St Albans Cathedral

Address: 237 Francis Baard Street, Pretoria Central

Ends,

For more information and media enquiries,

tinyiko.ndaba@up.ac.za and/or Mpho@lhr.org.za

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