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Carte Blanche

[FROM THE ARCHIVES] SLAPP in the face

Video
25 April
๐—ง๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐˜† ๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿฑ ๐—”๐˜‚๐—ด๐˜‚๐˜€๐˜ ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿญ. In a rapidly expanding city, where housing development is sorely needed, residentsโ€™ rights to ensure building projects proceed on a sustainable basis have to be carefully balanced. Now, one successful developer, working to bring relief to the housing needs in the Diepsloot area west of Johannesburg, has brought a R197-million lawsuit against a small environmental organisation that has dedicated its existence to ensuring responsible development on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Is it a legitimate claim for real damages brought on by the delays that objections in the public participation process have caused? Or is this a case of so-called Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) โ€“ an abusive bullying tactic to undermine legitimate expression?