Violent, Criminal Attack on the eKhenana Occupation

Tuesday, 28 July 2020
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Violent, Criminal Attack in the eKhenana Occupation

Today, at 10:00 am, the eThekwini Municipality launched a violent, criminal attack on the eKhenana Occupation in Cato Manor.

The residents of this occupation are protected by a court order that was granted on 27 December last year, and then reaffirmed on 24 April this year after the municipality repeated attacked the settlement in violation of the court order, the Constitution, the law and the lockdown regulations. 

The ANC has waged an all-out war on this occupation. There have been regular armed attacks, all illegal, by the City since 2018. On 13 February last year the local ANC councillor Mzimuni Ngiba attempted to violently take control of the occupation. On 14 April last year Siyabonga Mngadi, a comrade on the occupation, was shot by an unidentified man. On 10 November last year 24 women were arrested and detained by the police. At the same time three comrades were injured during an attack by the Metro Police and the Anti-Land Invasion Unit and had to be admitted to hospital. Landu Tshazi was shot in the testicles at point blank range.

Shortly after the interdict was secured on 24 April this year, Mr. Mkhize, the leader of the City’s notorious Land Invasion Unit went to eKhenana and fired live ammunition at the community seriously injuring one person. The occupation was repeatedly attacked during the lockdown. On a number of occasions the army participated in these attacks along with the Metro Police, the City’s Anti-Land Invasion Unit and the notorious Calvin & Family Security. These evictions were all illegal and violent.

eKhanana has recently been in the news a lot because the occupiers have established a democratically organised co-operative and are running a successful urban farming project, including vegetables and chickens, to build food sovereignty. They fly the Abahlali and the MST flags at this occupation, and are implementing the farming methods used by the MST in Brazil.

The ANC is unable to understand the self-organisation of the oppressed, even though it was the struggled led by women like Dorothy Nyembe and Florence Mkhize in Cato Manor in 1959 that first made the ANC popular in Durban. Msawakhe Mayisela, the spokesperson for the City, has told the media that there is a ‘third force’ by the eKhanana Occupation.

Today the occupation was attacked by the Metro Police, the Anti-Land Invasion Unit and Calvin & Family Security. They destroyed 13 homes and stole the building materials. They also stole people’s personal property, money and lots of cellphones. Two people were seriously injured in the attack and are now in King Edward Hospital.

Phumelele Mkhize, 29, was severely beaten with back of the guns carried by the attacks, and chopped on the arm with bush knife while sitting inside her home. Msawakhe Magwaza 30, was also badly injured after being assaulted with the back of guns. The chairperson of the occupation, Lindokuhle Mnguni was also injured. Kwanele Mhlongo, a 15-year-old with epilepsy was also severely beaten.

The following people were evicted in the attack this morning:

1.Ntombifuthi Jama
2.Sbongile Luthuli
3.Sbongile Thabethe
4.Sakhile Mtambo
5.Landiwe Radebe
6.Mlindeni Mtshali
7.Nkosingiphile Nsele
8.Nokuthula Mbuthuma
9. Philisiwe Mahlaba
10.Ntombiziyekhaya khanyile
11.Dumsani Dlangamandla
12.Ntuthuko Dlamini
13. Nokuthula Mabaso

The eThekwini Municipality is a rogue municipality engaged in a criminal and violent war against the organised poor. They are waging this war as the pandemic reaches its peak in Durban, as millions of people have lost their jobs and people are starving. They are not just attacking the homes on the occupation, they are also trying to destroy the co-operative that the residents have built which is producing food and has funded toilets, sanitizers, face masks and transport costs for the community.

Impi ibuyile. Sizomelana

Contact:

Lindokuhle Mnguni 0813513743
Mqapheli Bonono 073 0673 274
Nomusa Sizani 081 005 3686