The Struggle Continues: A Road Blockade, Two Comrades Shot

Tuesday, 03 November 2015
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

The Struggle Continues: A Road Blockade, Two Comrades Shot

The struggle continues after our successful celebration of our ten year anniversary at the Curries Fountain stadium.

Road Blockade in Sisonke Village

Yesterday the Sisonke Village Abahlali branch (Lamontville) took to the street and blockaded the road after a long wait for a ward councillor to respond to their demand. The community of Sisonke have been in the area for fives years without water, electricity and toilets. Instead they have faced constant illegal and violent evictions. The local leadership of AbM have tried to have meetings with the ward councillor and wrote letters to her but she never responded.

The accumulation of anger reminded Abahlali that their power still remains with them and they took to street to express their anger and demand that the councillor come and address them. Instead of the councillor coming to see them they were attacked by a well-known member of the ANC by the name of Madlala who threw stones to Abahlali. This ANC member was assisted by the police firing rubber bullets. This member of the ANC loudly said that we must ‘go back to the Eastern Cape’ if we want to protest and stop disturbing ‘their area’.

Evictions in Savanah Park

As always happens unlawful evictions continue to be the agenda of the day in eThekwini. On Sunday morning at around 08:00 in the morning the Anti- Land invasion Unit with SAPS and the Metro Police carried on with their culture of attacking vulnerable and unarmed occupiers. This time they attacked occupiers in Savanah Park. They shot two of our members with live ammunition. One comrade was shot in the left side of the eye and the other was shot in the leg. They were denied the right to open a case against the police.

Police have become the protectors of politicians and municipality. They do not serve as peace keepers. They do not protect the people.

As usual victims of police brutality will never be allowed to exercise their democratic right to open a case against the government. Instead we were threatened to be arrested.
The councillor in the area is Nomvula Shembe. Rumours have been spreading that she will ‘deal with’ Abahlali after we opened three new branches in her ward.

Ever since AbM was formed in 2005 ANC councillors always want to ‘deal with’ Abahlali instead of providing land for the people and stopping to selling land for profit. They are against land redistribution from below. They are against any organisation of the people outside of the ruling party. The struggle continues.

Our Congratulations to the Students

As a movement we wish to express our solidarity to the students who have been struggling around the country. Their courage and determination has given us all hope. We were very pleased that one of our comrades, Ndabo Mzimela, was able to join the march on the Union Buildings.

Contact people:

S’bu Mbanjwa (Savanah Park): 072 129 8870
Sbonelo (Sisonke Village) 078 4098733
Zandile Nsibande: 062 947 1947
Ndabo Mzimela: 076 606 6176
TJ Ngongoma: 084 6139 772