Friday, 11 October 2013

Abahlali baseMjoindolo Press Statement

uMlazi Update

Our movement is growing in uMlazi. We are very strong in the eMhlabeni land occupation and the Silva City transit camp. On Friday last week three comrades were arrested on an uMlazi road blockade organised to demand (1) the release of Bandile Mdlalose and (2) that the City stops its repression and start negotiations with us on our demands given to them at the march on 16 September 2013. We are demanding democracy, not just voting but real democracy, everyday democracy, and an end to repression.

These three comrades were kept in the holding cells till Monday. On Monday morning some comrades went to the Durban Magistrates’ Court and others went to the court in uMlazi to support comrades in detention. Before the court was in session our members were singing outside as is their right. The police came, threatened them, and said that if they were not be quiet they would know who to start with when the shooting started. They said that they would shoot two people. After this the people stopped singing. We have signed statements on the threat from the police to shoot two people.

When the case was called people began to enter the court building. They had to go through security which means that it is certain that no-one was armed. At the door of the court two security guards (Fidelity) started pushing people out and refusing to let them in. They were then attacked from behind by a group of police officers (between 7 and 10) who peppered sprayed them and shocked them. Amanda Nokobeni and Nyati Gcinithemba were pushed into a room. Amanda has made a signed statement to the police about what she saw. A security guard took out a small black gun. He fired two shots. The first shot hit his own hand. The second shot hit Nyathi in the chest, on the left side near his heart. The police officers then pushed him to the floor, beat him, tied his hands and continued to beat him. This was also witnessed by one of our members, Emmanuel Mangcoba. He has made a signed statement to the police that he looked through a window and saw Nyathi being beaten while his hands were tied.  We also have a short video and some photgraphs that show some of what happened.

Nyathi said he needed to go to hospital. This was refused. An off-duty paramedic wanted to help but was not allowed too. At first Nyathi was trying to sing while the beating continued.  But he lost a lot of blood and stopped talking and his eyes closed. We then rushed to report this attempted murder to our lawyer, Shabna Palesa Mohamed and to Pastor Ngubane. The police forced everyone to leave the court and wouldn’t allow anyone to see Nyathi. More police came with helmets, tear gas, rubber bullets etc and forced the comrades to leave the area outside of the court.

Naythi was taken to hospital where he was kept under police guards as if was a dangerous criminal. He was charged with assault. As far as we know none of the police officers who assaulted Nyathi have been arrested and the security guard who shot him has not been arrested either.

As usual the media reported the very violent and near fatal police attack on us as ‘a violent protest’. It is becoming clear that some of the media will always consider any protest during which poor people are violently attacked by the police (or the Land Invasions Unit or private security guards) to be ‘a violent protest’ even when the only violence comes from the police. They take our suffering as normal and they take state violence as normal. At the same time they take our demand that our dignity must be recognised as violent and criminal. We are supposed to remain in silence in our dark corners. It is unacceptable that peaceful protests in which no person is harmed are continually described as ‘violent’ protests in the media when they include road blockades or when they are attacked by the police. It is unacceptable that violence by the police, private security and the Land Invasions Unit is often not described as violent but presented as normal and necessary.

The prosecution failed to be bring a docket to the court for the case against Themba Msomi, Thembeka Sondaba & Fikiswa Mgoduka and so they were sent back to the holding cells without the bail application being heard.

Nyathi was released on Tuesday. He still has the bullet in his chest.

Themba, Thembeka and Fikiswa were only released on Wednesday. They were released on free bail. They have sign in to the police station each week.

As repression gets worse and we are treated like animals in a slaughter house more and more people who are supposed to be part of the system of repression are breaking ranks. Some ANC members are supporting our protests. Anyone with eyes to see can see that the politicians have lied to the people and will continue to lie to the people and that our cause is just.

We note that some middle class resident’s associations are calling for the Tactical Response Team of the SAPS and the army to replace the Public Order Policing Unit. Their local newspapers are saying that ‘the city is under siege’. We are asking the middle classes to please note that three housing activists have been killed this year and that three others have been shot. We are asking the middle classes to note that no one has been arrested for these murders and shootings even when witnesses have publicly stated the names of the murders and shooters. We have killed no-one and we have shot no-one. We are asking the middle classes to please note that large numbers of people have been illegally evicted from their homes and arrested on trumped up charges. Many of those who have been arrested have been assaulted in custody. We have driven no-one from their home and we have detained no-one against their will. We are not the threat to this society. The threat is coming from a corrupt and violent political class that is using public housing for its own enrichment rather than for the public good.

Everyone knows how corrupt the City is. This affects the middle classes too. The time to stop corruption is now. The time is coming when the violence against the poor will start to affect the middle classes too. On Wednesday a middle class man was shot at while driving by a blue light cavalcade. The politicians are becoming a threat to everyone. The time to stop state violence is now.

Poor people across this city have given notice that we will no longer accept to live in shacks with no refuse removal, no toilets, no paths, no drains and regular fires. We have given notice that we will not accept transit camps. We have given notice that we will not accept reruralisation via forced removals to human dumping grounds. We have given notice that we will no longer accept corruption, lies and repression.

We stand for an inclusive city, a democratic city, a city for all. The Municipality stands for corruption and violence. They want to intimidate us into accepting oppression instead of negotiating a better way forward. If the middle classes join the Municipality in supporting the campaign of violent intimidation, and even murder, against us the democracy that is left will be destroyed for everyone. If they join with us and stand for an end to corruption, for an end to lies and for a city that respects the dignity of all who live in it, a shared city, a just city, then democracy can be deepened. That is the choice that the middle classes must make.

We have made our choice. Across the city the message from our branches is the same. There is no turning back.

For comment and updates please contact:

Mnikelo Ndabankulu (Abahlali baseMjondolo Spokesperson) 081 263 3462

Khayelihle Magcaba (Abahlali baseMjondolo uMlazi) 073 873 0636