Summary: Demver Arendse, a community and social justice activist, advocates for housing rights for the homeless, the poor, and the working class. He shares information, provides legal assistance to victims of illegal evictions, and organizes protests against Cape Town officials. As a Chapter Leader for Reclaim the City, a housing rights movement, Arendse challenges the city of Cape Town’s gentrification process, which has robbed many people of decent housing and evicted them—out of the city, away from places of work, and in crime-ridden areas. Arendse has also crossed paths with the notorious housing mafia, which has interest in some of the places that he proposes for public housing. Furthermore, Arendse’s work demands that he spend most of his time away from home, which puts stress on his family. Despite apparent challenges, Arendse has shown unwavering commitment to his work.

Profile: When in 2017 attorney Demver Arendse realized that members of his Cape Town community lacked understanding of their fundamental human right to housing, he volunteered to educate them and offer legal support, for free.

At different forums and in court corridors, Arendse has a clear message to tenants: “The city and house owners have no right to illegally evict tenants without a court order.” That is largely because the Prevention of Illegal Eviction Act (PIE ACT) prohibits unlawful eviction and makes it a criminal offense for any person to illegally evict anyone.

“I’m an activist doing community work by assisting those that have been unlawfully and forcefully removed by evictions,” he says. “I assist those evictees by giving them legal assistance. We have made an impact in the courthouse as we are well known for giving advice and representation from our law clinic, assisting those in need.”

In March 2017, Arendse and other housing activists led a team of the homeless, including children, to occupy an abandoned hospital building that had become a hideout for criminals in Woodstock. Despite the city’s condemning Arendse and his team for what it called disorderly conduct and hijacking the building, Arendse is happy that his efforts have provided homes for the elderly, single women-led families, domestic workers, teachers, garment workers, and craftsmen.

In a landmark victory, Arendse and his colleagues won against the city that wanted to evict them. The building was later named after Cissie Gool, in remembrance of her significant contributions in the struggle against apartheid. Seven years later, Cissie Gool House accommodates over 1000 families.

“We at Cissie Gool House have shown the city that reconstruction of an abandoned building can be made into livable spaces for affordable housing. Any attack by the city on people’s fundamental rights, we meet in court,” said Arendse. “We fought many court cases and in our case we were successful until the city decided to take legal action to the highest courts. However, the city seems relentless in violating people’s rights and continues to implement policies that infringe on people’s rights in the Western Cape.”

Arendse challenges the city for making empty promises, expressing his commitment to educate the public about the city’s liability, adding that “We will keep them accountable towards the people.”

Arendse and his colleagues have remained resolute, despite being undermined by corporate lawyers and even threatened by local “housing mafias”. “Our work,” he says, “consists of struggle within the court as lawyers do not always seem to respect our work. At times we are denied accessing the court to assist those in need,” said Arendse. In July 2022, they took to the street in a peaceful march named “Empty Plots and Promises Commemoration Walking Tour,” to lament the city’s failure to provide affordable housing to its residents.

There are personal challenges as well: As a result of his constant activism, Arendse spends much time away from his family and has suffered occasional bouts of depression. Nonetheless, “I will never look back,” he says, “for I am fully drawn to my work and I love it.”