Road blockade and protests to restore democracy and end corruption in KwaNdengezi and Shallcross

22 October 2012
Abahlali bakwaNdengezi Press statement

Road blockade and protests to restore democracy and end corruption in
KwaNdengezi and Shallcross

The struggle for land, housing and dignity continues in KwaNdengezi.

Mduduzi Ngcobo, the KwaNdengezi Ward 12 councillor has been terrorizing this
community for a long time. It must be remembered that this community had to
march on the 31 August 2012 demanding that the Speaker of eThekwini
Municipality Logie Naidoo intervene in what the community calls Ngcobo acting
as both a referee and a player in new housing project. But as always Logie is

only acting as a ceremonial individual. He has never attended to any of the
communities complaints about their ward councillors. As the Speaker he is
supposed to be a chief whip and principal councilor where communities can
report ‘lazy and underperforming’ councilors but instead he is just always out
cutting ribbons in ceremonies of the city. We see no evidence that he performs
his real duties. This must be investigated so that the people of Durban can
see if he knows what he is supposed to be really doing.

As always when housing projects are built without them being discussed with
the local community there are all kinds of serious problems. In KwaNdengezi
the contractor is digging in people’s yards without ever having spoken with
them to build houses that will not be allocated to them. In doing this they
also interfere with graves. Houses are being allocate to people from outside
the area that are suspected to have bought their houses from the councillor. A
Memorandum of Demands was received by Mr. Desmond Myeza, a Manager from
eThekwini Municipal Speaker’s Office, on the 31 August but up until today they
have not responded. The complete lack of any response to the memorandums
handed over at legal marches is the very simple reason why the so called legal
march is no longer the choice of communities as they are dumped in the bin.

Today the community has blockaded the main road in KwaNdengezi demanding that
the allocation of houses to unknown people from outside the area be stopped.
They are demanding that the allocation process must be open and transparent to
all and that the claims of corruption against the councilor who is believed to
be selling the houses must be seriously investigated. The road blockade began
at 5am this morning. As always the police are supporting the councillor to
continue corrupting and intimidating the community. Some activists have been
seriously beaten by the police in their attempt to protect corrupt
politicians. We request the media to rush to the scene and we also request the
media to please speak to protestors as well as the police and the politicians
when they write their stories.

In Shallcross

In eKuphumeleleni in Shallcross, the so called Housing officials from
eThekwini Municipality and Councilor Nomvula Shembe visited the eKuphumeleleni
community to lie to the community and tell them that they are no longer
protected by the Durban High Court. In fact the community has a Court Order
preventing the municipality from evicting residents. As always the City is
just ignoring that order. The community protested and chased the Municipal
Officials away on Saturday 20 August 2012. The officials are now saying that
they will deploy the army in the area. The eThekwini municipality should know
that this is not army state. There has never been any democracy in Durban for
the poor. But things are getting worse every day. Non one can get anything
without a party card. Bulling, warlordism and assassination have become the
order of the day.

For comment and further information please contact:

Thulile Ndlovu, Kwa Ndengezi Abahlali baseMjondolo branch: 073 5350219
Albert Ngubane, Chairperson of the eKuphumeleleni Abahlali baseMjondolo
branch: 079 4820904
Bandile Mdlalose, Abahlali baseMjondolo Secretary General: 071 4242815
S’bu Zikode, Abahlali baseMjondolo: 083 5470474