Memorandum of Demands to the Mayor of eThekwini, Her Worship Cllr Zandile Gumede, Monday, 26 June 2017, 12:00pm

Memorandum of Demands to the Mayor of eThekwini, Her Worship Cllr Zandile Gumede, Monday, 26 June 2017, 12:00pm

We, Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA, are democrats committed to the flourishing of this city, our province and our country. We speak for ourselves and direct our own struggle. We have been mobilized by suffering and our hope for a better future. It is time to take seriously the fact that, land is a serious problem in our country and in our city and that, land was stolen from our ancestors and that, this has impoverished us.

1. For too long the eThekwini Municipality and the current mayor have lied to us and treated us with disrespect and indignity. We demand truth, honesty and respect from the mayor. 

2. For too long the eThekwini municipality through its Anti Land Invasion Unit has been terrorizing our communities violently and illegally. We demand an end to evictions in our city and a recognition of the democratic value of grassroots urban planning.

3. For too long certain Ward Councillors like Cllr Zulu in ward 52, Cllr Khekhe in ward 17, Cllr Musa Nyaba in ward 56, Cllr Nada in ward 15 have been attacking our members because they are threatened by our unity in action. Most of these councillors have been imposed on us. We demand to be treated with respect and dignity by all councillors and that councillors must take direction from below rather than imposing it from above.

4. For too long our members including Samuel Hloele and the two week old baby Jayden have been killed by the police and the Anti Land Invasion Unit without any accountability. We demand and end to repression and justice for all our killed and injured comrades.

5. For too long we have been excluded from IDP discussions in shaping our own ward’s needs. We are committed to participatory democracy and we demand to fully participate in all discussions about budget and the future of our communities.

6. For too long we have been excluded from local job opportunities and these opportunities are only awarded to volunteers and card carrying members of the ruling party and those close to councillors. We demand fair access to decent employment for all.

7. We demand electricity and all basic services in shack settlements while waiting for decent housing.

8. We demand to know the current status and future plans of all our shack settlements. We want to know when, where and how our housing going to be built.

9. For too long the sale of RDP has been open to corruption and no prosecution. We demand a credible investigation on all housing corruption.

10. For too long the issuing of Title Deeds has been delayed for no reason. We demand a speedily mechanism of ensuring secure tenure for all people in land occupations and in RDP
housing.

We demand that you act with justice on all these matters. We are prepared to fight for these rights in the streets and in courts.

Just like people around our country and the region we are concerned about violence against women. We demand justice and a safe environment for all women in our streets and in our homes. We continue to be concerned about the attacks on people born from other countries. And today we are equally concerned about discrimination on people born in other provinces.

Together with the fees must fall students around the country and the world we are concerned about expensive, low quality and colonised education. We demand free, decolonised and quality education for all.

If this Memorandum is received without conscious Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA will consider engaging in non stop protests.

Handed over by S’bu Zikode, president of Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA on the 26 June 2017 at 12:15pm.

Signature…………………………………
Received by……………………………………………whose position is……………………….…….on 26 June 2017 at……………..(time)
Signature…………………………………………………..

To follow up, please contact Thapelo Mohapi Abahlali General Secretary on 062 892 5323 or Mqapheli Bonono on 073 067 3274