12 September 2013
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press statement

Another Victory in the Durban High Court for Abahlali baseCato Crest

 

 

Abahlali baseCato Crest outside the Durban High Court, 12 September 2013

Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA have again won another Court Interdict prohibiting the eThekwini Municipal Land Invasion Unit and the Metro Police from demolishing the homes of Abahlali baseCato Crest. The court ordered Municipal officials and the Municipal Legal team to go to Cato Crest to indentify residents with their shacks and mark them. This is to make sure that Abahlali are no longer touched by the Municipality pending the finalization of our application. The visit will take place on Tuesday, 17 September 2013 at 9 a.m. This is a relief arrangement while proceedings are under way. The City only filed their answering affidavit today and our legal team will need to respond to it before the court can hear it, together with the main application.

Abahlali has won several court victories in this matter of the ongoing, violent and unlawful evictions in Cato Crest. However these court victories have been ignored by the Municipality. Therefore today’s battle was no longer 'Abahlali vs eThekwini Municipality' but rather a question of ‘The rule of Law vs eThekwini Municipality'. But to our surprise the BEC of the ANC in the Cato Crest area, its Ward Committee members and general membership were in court. Noted in this group of people were also people identified by local Abahlali members as hitmen. They even entered the court room in black caps. ANC members were seen pointing out S’bu Zikode to these men. They did not try to hide this. They made an extra effort in making sure that everyone could see what they were doing. When we saw them exchanging guns in their white Hundai vehicle that is known to us it is clear to us that the ANC is determined to ensure that the politic of blood remains the order of the day in Cato Crest. They are trying to make this a matter of 'Abahlali vs ANC'.

It is clear that the ruling party have decide to subvert the law. Their members were bused into court without any knowledge of the proceedings. They did not even know who was representing their interest. Our hope in the rule of law is becoming hopeless as court orders are not protecting our homes. The orders of the court are being openly ignored by the Municipality and people are being beaten during evictions, in the police station when they stand up against injustice. At the same time activists are being assassinated.

We have no choice but to defend our only homes and our right to this city.

We wish to say very clearly to the ANC that we are all S'bu Zikode. S'bu Zikode is not making us to rebel. It is injustice that is making us to rebel. We all stand with our comrades in Cato Crest and we all stand with S'bu Zikode.

Contact

Mnikelo Ndabankulu: AbM – Spokesperson 081 263 3462
Ndabo Mzimela: AbM – Cato Crest Chairperson 072 401 5974
Lindiwe: AbM – Cato Crest Activist 072 749 3693
Bandile Mdlalose: AbM – General Secretary 084 557 5090

Attachments

Court Order 12 September 2013