COMMEMORATING OUR FALLEN HEROES –
Our Statement
Upholding the dignity of the oppressed is non-negotiable. We resist repression, oppose authoritarianism, corruption, xenophobia and ethnic politics and take concrete action to build a fairer world from below. We assert that land should not be privately owned, bought, sold or rented. We assert that everyone has the right to participate in all discussions and decision making relevant to them, and that no one should think or decide for us. We are clear that our movement belongs to our members and not to any NGO, donor, political party, organisation, or network that thinks that it has a right to rule the organised poor.
Our struggle for dignity, democracy and autonomy has made us many enemies. Over the years we have had our homes destroyed, been slandered, beaten, arrested, tortured, jailed, and murdered.
Some of our comrades have committed themselves to ‘land or death’ or ‘socialism or death’, and many have given their lives to the struggle. We have lost many comrades to assassinations at by the police and assassins linked to the ruling party. We have lost many more, to the life-threatening conditions which we are subjected to by the state.
We honour each of our fallen comrades and commit to carrying their struggle forward into a world where the dignity of all is respected, and land, wealth and power are fairly shared.
FALLEN HEROES
People whose lives have been lost in the struggle for Land, Decent Housing, and Dignity
MTHOKOZISI THABANI NDLOVU
Killed on 26 September 2009 during the violence that ensued during the attack on our movement and amaMpondo people in Kennedy Road by an ANC linked mob. He was stabbed to death.
NDUMISO THOKOZANI MNGUNI
Killed on 26 September 2009 during the violence that ensued during the attack on our movement and amaMpondo people in Kennedy Road by an ANC linked mob. He was stabbed to death.
THEMBINKOSI QUMBELO
Killed on 15 March 2013, following several death threats made against him. Qumbelo was shot by a group of 4 unknown men outside a tavern. Thembinkosi Qumbelo was the president of Cato Crest Residential Association.
NKULULEKO GWALA
Killed on 26 June 2013 after receiving multiple threats. Gwala shot twelve times outside his shack in Cato Crest. Nkululeko Gwala was a prominent member of Abahlali baseMjondolo.
NQOBILE NZUZA
Killed on 30 September 2013 at a road blockade staged by Abahlali members in Cato Crest. Nzuza was shot twice from behind with live ammunition by a police officer. Nqobile Nzuza was 17-year old girl and a supporter of Abahlali baseMjondolo.
THULI NDLOVU
Killed on 29 September 2014. Ndlovu was shot seven times in her home. Ndlovu had been threatened for exposing corruption in KwaNdengezi. Two ANC councillors and a hitman were convicted of Ndlovu’s murder. Thuli Ndlovu was the chairperson of the Abahlali baseMjondolo branch in KwaNdengezi. She was 36 years old when she was killed.
ISAAC MABIKA
Killed on 6 February 2016 after being attacked with an axe by an unknown man. Mabika was a branch coordinator.
JAYDON KHOZA
Killed on 29 May 2017. Baby Jaydon Khoza was two-weeks old when he died after inhaling tear gas from his home in Foreman Road. Police responded to a road blockade by throwing teargas into the settlement.
SAMUEL HLOELE
Killed on 13 June 2017. Hloele was shot to death in eKukhanyeni, Marinhill. It is alleged that his killers were members of the eThekwini Municipality’s Anti Land Invasion Unit, who were conducting evictions and firing live ammunition. Samuel Hloele was 29 years old at the time of his death.
SIBONELO PATRICK MPEKU
Killed on 19 November 2017 following his kidnapping on 11 November 2017. Mpeku was a victim of numerous threats made by prominent ANC leaders. Sibonelo Mpeku was the chairperson of the Abahlali branch in Sisonke Village and he was 32 years old at the time of his death.
SOYISO NKQAYINI
Killed on 17 December 2017. Nkqayini was shot by unknown mem in the eNkanini occupation in Cato Manor. Soyiso Nkqayini a vocal youth league organiser for Abahlali baseMjondolo.
SANDILE BIYELA
Killed on 11 January 2018. Biyela was electrocuted to death when he ran into electrical wires while fleeing from police who were firing live ammunition at the protestors from the Solomon Mahlangu Abahlali baseMjondolo branch.
S’FISO NGCOBO
Killed on 22 May 2018. Ngcobo was shot to death in his home by unknown men and was the subject of multiple death threats. S’fiso Ncgobo was the chairperson of the eKukhanyeni Abahlali baseMjondolo branch in Marianhill. He was a highly respected member of his community is remembered for founding a creche in eKukhayeni and for his leadership.
CHIEF THULANI MJANYELWA
Killed on 26 August 2018. He was killed by a mob that hacked him to death outside his home. Thulani Mjanyelwa was the Inkosi of Bizana in Mpondoland in the Eastern Cape and was well known for his vocal activism in defence of land and against harmful mining practices. He was strongly supportive of our movement.
SENZO GUMEDE
Killed on 22 December 2018. Gumede was shot and killed by unknown gunmen after he was previously threatened by the ANC ward Councillor and taxi blockades who opposed road blockades. Senzo Gumede was a prominent defender of the eKhenana occupation.
ODWA MBANA
Killed in April 2019. Mbana was shot to death after receiving several threats by local ANC members. Odwa Mbana was an Abahlali baseMjondolo youth league organiser in eKhenana who was in his early twenties at the time of his death.
SANDILE DLAMINI
Killed in October 2019. He was assaulted to death by unknown men believed to be from the neighbouring area. His lifeless body was later found when the community was informed that a member of the eKhenana Abahlali branch was beaten up and lying on the ground. Sandile Dlamini was a resident of the eKhenana occupation in his mid-30s when he was killed.
XOLANI NDLOVU
Killed on 1 November 2019. Ndlovu was shot to death by two unknown gunmen outside his home in eKhenana. Xolani Ndlovu was a resident of the eKhenana occupation. BHEKI MDLULI Killed in February 2020. Mdluli died after being shot in the abdomen. He was in his late 30s at the time of his death and was known for resisting the attacks on the eKhenana occupation.
NKOSINATHI MNGOMEZULU
Died in July 2021. In September 2013, Mngomezulu was shot while physically resisting the unlawful demolition of his shack. He was shot four times in the stomach by a security officer in the eThekwini’s anti-land invasion unit. He died in 2021 from medical complications related to the injuries he sustained in the 2013 shooting. Nkosinathi Mngomezulu was a resident of the Cato Crest settlement.
ZAMEKILE SHANGASE
Shot and killed outside her home in an illegal raid by the police on 29 July 2021 Asiyindawo in the Madlala shack settlement near Lamontville. She was a branch leader of Abahlali.
AYANDA NGILA
Killed in eKhenana on 8 March 2022 after he was shot by a group of men alleged to be linked to the local ANC leadership. At the time, Ngila was the deputy chairperson of the eKhenana branch. Ngila was 30 years old at the time of his death.
SIYABONGA MANQELE
Killed at the eNkanini Occupation on 12 March 2022. Manqele was shot in the back of the head during a raid on eNkanini during which his wife, Thandeka Sithunsa, was arrested.
NOKUTHULA MABASO
Killed in eKhenana on the evening of 5 May 2022. She was shot seven times in front of her home. She was a prominent leader in the Women’s League and played a central role in defending the occupation against evictions and sustaining the commune’s various operations. She was also a witness to the killing of Ayanda Ngila.
LINDOKUHLE MNGUNI
Killed in eKhenana on 20 August 2022. He was shot several times in his home after spending months in hiding. His partner, Sindiswa Ngcobo was also shot but was fortunate to survive. Mnguni narrowly escaped harm when Ayanda Ngila was killed. Mnguni was the chairperson of Abahlali’s eKhenana branch and a leader in the Youth League. He was 28 years old at the time of his death.