The Appeal Court handed down a landmark decision in the case Rikhoto v. East Rand Administration Board (ERAB), granting him the right to permanent urban status. The ruling was likely to affect about 150, 000 Black contract workers in urban areas, who could apply to have their families living with them. The case sought improvements in "influx control" or the freedom of movement of Black South Africans. These cases contributed to the gradual dismantling of apartheid laws regulating movement and torture, and became part of the process of chipping away of apartheid policies.
30 May 1983
Judgement is handed down in a landmark case
- Updated
- 30 Sep 2019

How we know this
- 01Ndengwa, D. ,Horner, D., Esau, F.,(2004),The links between migration, poverty and Health: Evidence from Khayelitsha and Michel’s Plain, from Centre for Social Science research UCT,[online], available at www.cssr.uct.ac.za [Accessed: 29 May 2013]
Last updated · 30 Sep 2019
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Judgement is handed down in a landmark case. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012521
South African History Online (2011) 'Judgement is handed down in a landmark case', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012521 (Accessed: 15 October 2026).
South African History Online, Judgement is handed down in a landmark case [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012521, (accessed 15 October 2026).
"Judgement is handed down in a landmark case." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012521. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "Judgement is handed down in a landmark case." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012521.
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