The Award of Hope!
It came as a surprise to be awarded the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Trophy at the third annual graduation ceremony for the University of Abahlali baseMjondolo. Not only was I surprised by my achievement, but I ran out of words as well. The Kennedy Road Community Hall was packed to capacity as the Master of Ceremonies cleared his voice and began the announcement that changed my life, saying, ‘The Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award goes to ………eh……this young man, who comes aaaaaall the waaaaay from …………… Zimmmmmmmmmmmmmmmbabweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ……………!’
The graduation ceremony by the University of Abahlali baseMjondolo is a rare one. It signifies how a militant poor people’s movement recognizes the skills, capabilities and talents of the poor and oppressed. It is a salutation of the achievements by the now-popular shack dwellers’ movement in the right to education and self empowerment. It is also to prove the true meaning of Abahlalism and what it entails to be an ‘Umhlali’.
When I was growing up back in Zimbabwe, little did I know that the poor and oppressed could seek recognition for themselves if not being recognized by others, could seek justice for themselves if being denied the right to justice, could seek to empower themselves if being marginalized from empowerment initiatives, or could seek to dignify themselves if denied the right to human dignity. However, for Abahlali baseMjondolo, being a shack dweller boosts some certain pride for the movement’s members. Abahlali has tried by all means to expose how shack dwellers are being oppressed, repressed, depressed, suppressed and expressed. Our movement has shown how the poor are sidelined, excluded from participating in life-changing opportunities, forced out of the cities and even presumed to be guilty without committing an offence. All the misfortune of shack dwellers saw the Zimbabwean government ‘eradicating and eliminating’ all the shacks in the country, leaving millions of people homeless. At Abahlali we always propose that shack settlements be upgraded where they are instead of being bulldozed to the ground. We always propose that grassroots urban planning must be supported and defended.
During the so-called xenophobic attacks, Abahlali was at the forefront of condemning the sad violence on our African brothers and sisters. It issued a very strong Press Statement which was widely-circulated and read. It organized countless meetings to alert the people to the danger of attacking their bothers and sisters. It organized defence. It even stopped an attack that was happening in a settlement where we have no members. I’m pleased to announce today that the attacks left me unscathed, all because of Abahlali’s caring love and protection. Had I been back home at Old Bob’s slaughtering territory during the election campaign I would be limping on crutches today. The old, reluctant dictator has tried by all means to punish innocent Zimbabweans if ever they vote for the MDC. His unity is founded on fear. S’bu Zikode, the President of Abahlali has done it the other way round, positively, he has founded a unity on hope. He has united the Xhosas with the Zulus; the Pondos with the Shangaans; the Vendas with the Sothos; the Africans with the Indian community, and those born in South Africa with those born in other countries. S’bu has made it clear that he will not tolerate any ethnic or racial divisions, thus Abahlali’s gospel is spreading like veldfires, even as far as Kimberly, uniting all tribes from all corners of South Africa. At Abahlali we have made a home for everyone, regardless whether one is a card-carrying-member of the movement or not; regardless whether one is a member of a certain political party or not; regardless whether one is a foreigner or not; and regardless whether one is a shack dweller or not. One is not born to be an Umhlali – one chooses to be an Umhlali when one accepts Abahlalism – the bottom up living politic that says everyone can think, everyone must be respected. This wonderful movement is always neutral in the face of the human being – everyone counts for one. But the movement is never neutral in the face of injustice! The spirit that S’bu’s style of leading by listening has ingested in Abahlali is much-needed in all the governments of the world!
When it comes to my award, I feel the ‘real and true’ spirit of ‘Zikodeism’ played an important role. I could tell by the expression on his face that he was elated, to say the least, when I received the unexpected award. I could also tell by the suddenness of his rush for the cameras, just to be pictured with me, never shying away from a ‘foreigner’. I could also not help imagining how Mugabe would feel to be outdone by the president of Abahlali, if ever he heard the news. During the photo shots with S’bu, I could not even think of my family back home, as I felt his fatherly and brotherly presence to receive the award on my behalf. He even forgot to hand over the neckband medal that he had received on my behalf, owing largely to his excitement, and I had to follow him to his home and remind him. Still, he was wearing it around his neck!
I also feel indebted to Fazel Khan, the Programme Co-ordinator fort the Computer part of the University of Abahlali Classes. He was all smiles during the graduation ceremony, but when it came to presenting my award, he just said, ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t have told you about the award. That would be cheating’. Oh! I couldn’t stop admiring the man who had put so much effort in the progress of the computer classes. Fazel said that “Fanwell, our comrade, has been given the right to South African citizenship by Abahlali baseMjondolo’!
What more can I say? The award gave me hope that leaders like S’bu Zikode are needed worldwide; that Abahlali baseMjondolo shall become the home of all people from all walks of life; that Abahlali shall win the struggle in the ‘Land and Housing’ issues. It gave me hope that one day I could be part of a real struggle to change Zimbabwe with the experience I have gained at Abahali. For me, it was truly an award of hope for a bright Zimbabwe that is not surviving on power-sharing deals, and hope for the millions of starving Zimbabweans and my mother, including other family members too!
Prepared by: Nsingo Fanwell, Abahlali baseMjondolo Member and Activist