In the landmark case Machele and Others v Mailula and Others [2009] ZACC 7, Jerry Nkeli Attorneys successfully secured the return of Angus Mansion, a hijacked building in Johannesburg’s CBD, to its lawful owners. The firm represented the true titleholders who had been unlawfully dispossessed by a syndicate posing as tenants' representatives.
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The building hijackers used intimidation and manipulation of tenants to seize control, often collecting rent while neglecting safety and basic services. This case exposed the inner workings of building hijacking rings – how they exploit vulnerable residents, forge documents, and use legal tactics in court.
Thanks to rigorous litigation and persistence, the firm achieved not only a Constitutional Court victory affirming property rights, but also triggered the first recorded arrest of a building hijacker in the Johannesburg CBD. The case has since become a turning point in urban property rights enforcement, setting precedent for restoring hijacked buildings through lawful means.
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Jerry Nkeli Attorneys – Defending the Rule of Law, One Building at a Time.
