Months after Gogo Thembi Hlake’s family took their fight over 3890 Hlakutsa Street — the house she was born and raised in — to the High Court, she says she is now being pressured to leave the property before a judge has even heard the case: through a formal notice to vacate, and personal visits she describes as threatening.
The High Court case over 3890 Hlakutsa Street, Orlando East, has not yet been heard — no date has even been set. But according to Gogo Thembi Hlake, that has not stopped the people who now claim to own the property from trying to get her out.
Gogo Thembi’s family is challenging the sale of the Orlando East home in the High Court, arguing that the sale and the title behind it should not stand. The buyers maintain they are the property’s lawful owners — and their attorneys have now formally demanded that Gogo Thembi leave.
Born And Raised In This House
This is not simply a property Gogo Thembi occupies. She was born in this house, raised in it, and has spent almost her entire life within its walls — it is her family home, in the fullest sense of the word, not an address she moved into later in life.
That history is at the heart of why this case matters to her, and why a letter demanding she leave “with immediate effect” lands so hard: it is not asking her to give up a house she rents or recently bought. It is asking her to walk away from the only home she has ever known.
A Letter Demanding She Leave
In a letter dated 18 August 2026, Jivindhava Attorneys, acting for the two buyers, described Gogo Thembi’s continued occupation of the house as an “illegally occupied premises,” and demanded she vacate “with immediate effect.” The letter, served through the Sheriff of Soweto East, warned that eviction proceedings — at her cost — would follow if she did not comply.
The letter arrived while the High Court has yet to rule on whether the sale is valid — the very question at the centre of Gogo Thembi’s case. In South Africa, residents generally cannot lawfully be removed from a home without a court eviction order — a protection meant precisely to stop pressure of the kind Gogo Thembi describes from forcing someone out ahead of a legal process running its course.
“She Told Me To Move Out”
Gogo Thembi says the letter was not the only pressure she has faced. She says one of the new owners has come to the property in person more than once — on one occasion to collect building materials left there, and on another, she says, to tell her directly that she should move out, because the house now belongs to her.
Gogo Thembi says these visits have left her feeling threatened and harassed in the very house she was born and raised in — the home she has lived in for most of her life. She reported the matter to Orlando East Residents Organisation Against Property Hijacking, which has instructed its advocate to challenge the attempted eviction in court as well.
Editor’s note: Loxion Express contacted Jivindhava Attorneys and the buyers by both email and WhatsApp, requesting comment on the notice to vacate and the visits Gogo Thembi describes. Neither had responded by the time of publication.
Waiting On The Court
Until the High Court rules, ownership of 3890 Hlakutsa Street — and Gogo Thembi’s right to remain there — stays legally undecided. That has not stopped attempts to resolve the matter outside the courtroom, something Gogo Thembi and the organisation say should not be happening while litigation is still under way.
For Gogo Thembi, an elderly woman already fighting to keep the family home she was born and raised in, the uncertainty is taking its own toll. She says she no longer feels settled in her own house, checking who is at the gate and bracing for the next visit or letter, on top of an already difficult legal battle.
Property Advice: What The Law Allows — And What It Doesn’t
Loxion Express asked Phumla Kgamedi Maake, Founder and Director of Maake Global (Pty) Ltd, a property and business solutions company, for his professional take on Gogo Thembi’s situation.
“The buyer cannot legally force Gogo out through intimidation or harassment, even if the title deed is officially registered in their name,” Maake says. “Under South African law — specifically the PIE Act — Gogo can only be removed through a formal court-ordered eviction process.” Because the sale itself is being challenged in the High Court, he says, any eviction attempt is highly unlikely to be granted until the ownership dispute is resolved.
His advice to Gogo Thembi, specifically:
- Do not sign any documents or negotiate with the buyer — forward all contact to her advocate immediately
- Document everything: log the dates, times and specific actions of any harassment, and take video or audio recordings to support a protection order application
- Open a protection order without delay
- If the buyer ever cuts off utilities or blocks access to the home, her legal team can immediately apply for a spoliation order to have her living conditions restored
His advice to readers more broadly: “Before buying, selling, occupying or making any claim to a property, verify the property’s ownership and legal status first. A family relationship, long-term occupation or verbal agreement does not by itself establish registered ownership, while being a registered owner does not mean that a person can simply remove an occupant through intimidation or force.” Where there is a dispute over ownership or occupation, he says, all parties should get proper legal advice before taking action.
| This contribution is intended as practical property education and advisory input, and is not a substitute for formal legal advice. Where a matter involves litigation, ownership disputes, conveyancing or other specialised legal issues, readers should consult a qualified legal professional. |
| About the contributor: Phumla Kgamedi Maake is the Founder and Director of Maake Global (Pty) Ltd, a South African property and business solutions company covering property sales, rentals, development opportunities, land, market assessments and related advisory services, alongside business development and strategic partnerships. If you are unsure who legally owns a property or want help understanding the property position, Maake Global can be contacted for assistance. |
Orlando East Residents Organisation Against Property Hijacking says it will continue to support Gogo Thembi through both the ownership case and this latest attempt to remove her, and Loxion Express will keep following the case as it develops. If you are dealing with a similar situation in Soweto, the organisation can be contacted for assistance.
PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST PROPERTY HIJACKING IN SOWETO
*Attend your ward community meetings. The information shared at these meetings can save your home.
*Keep your original Title Deed in a safe and secure place at all times.
*Check your property registration regularly at the Deeds Office: deeds.gov.za
*A legal eviction can only be carried out with a valid court order. No court order — no eviction.
*Contact the Orlando East Residents Organisation Against Property Hijacking organisation immediately if you suspect fraud.
CONTACT ORLANDO EAST RESIDENTS ORGANISATION AGAINST PROPERTY HIJACKING
Mr. Enoch Ndlovu : 083 249 3065
Miss Thuli Manyoni : 073 690 7913
Contact Loxion Express
WhatsApp: 081 79 777 96 | 066 130 9086
Email: admin@loxionexpress.co.za