There is no injustice more grave than that of denying people their right to be human. To do this is to essentially reduce them to subhumans, to render their existence and humanity insignificant and in so doing, to animalise them. Nowhere has this dehumanisation been as blatant as it has been in the Eastern Cape province — a province where some of the most cruel injustices against the people occur.

This past week we witnessed yet another crime against the people, commissioned by the leadership of the province. The provincial government and the Makana Local Municipality were given a necessary tongue-lashing by Judge Inga Stretch of the Makhanda High Court, who dismissed their bid to appeal the ruling to place the municipality under administration...