Mass Prayer Tomorrow

Friday, 14 November 2014

Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

 

Mass Prayer Tomorrow

On the 15 November 2014 we are going to have our last General Meeting of this year 2014. We normally have General meetings (whereby all members are invited to gather to share ideas) each and every month. We have decided to hold a mass prayer at the final General Meeting for this year given that our Movement is currently under attack and facing repression.

Since last year we have lost two leaders to assassination and one youth member to murder by the police. Other members have been shot, arrested, beaten, tortured and driven from their homes. We currently have some members staying away from their homes and their areas for safety. Strange men are coming to their houses to look for them. Our leaders continue to receive threatening phone calls. Some of the Congolese leaders who marched with us last weekend are also receiving threatening phone calls now. In Cato Crest and KwaNdengezi leaders who were not members of our organisation, but who were also resisting corruption and gangster councillors, have also been assassinated. Every day death is coming nearer to us. We have accepted that more of our leaders will die.

Our movement welcomes members of all religions and those of no religion. Many of our members believe that the mercy of God always exists among us and that no weapon raised against us shall prosper if we stand in the light of God. God loves justice and is therefore on the side of the poor. We have invited a number of church leaders to be with us tomorrow. We believe that it is the responsibility of church leaders to be with the oppressed, even as we are being attacked.

Abahlali baseMjondolo is a mass democratic movement of shack dwellers and other poor people in South Africa. Our aim is to fight for, protect, promote and advance the dignity of the poor in South Africa. We look forward to a society and a world in which wealth, land and power are shared fairly.

It was not the ANC that liberated this country from apartheid. It was the people that freed uTata Nelson Mandela from prison and it was the people that brought apartheid to its end. It will be the struggle of people that will take us to our next freedom. The mass prayer will give us courage for this struggle.

The mass prayer will be held at the YMCA Beatrice Street and will start at 09:00 a.m.

Contact:

Ndabo Mzimela 079 355 6758

Pastor Ngubane 073 628 1520