Two Year Old Child Electrocuted in Silver City, uMlazi

Friday, October 27, 2017

Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

 

Two Year Old Child Electrocuted in Silver City, uMlazi

On Wednesday, at 3 p.m., a two year old child was electrified Silver City, uMlazi, in ward 88. A young life lost so early in a society in which the lives of the poor are not counted as human lives. 

The leadership of Abahlali in this branch has been trying in vain to engage the ward councillor about putting in essential services such as water, sanitation and electricity. Instead of responding to the essential needs of the community the ward councilor, S’busiso Maphumulo, continues to threaten our leadership in Silver City.

He has on a number of occasions been threatening our chairperson Lungelo Hlongwane. The very same ANC that claims to protect the interest of the poor continues to suppress and threatens the very people it claims to protect.

Electricity is life and people who are living in shacks also have the right to electricity. But this government does not realise this. They leave us to burn and to be electrocuted when people make unsafe connections. They leave children to do their homework with candles and women to be unsafe in the dark.

This is a young life. This child could have become a doctor or even a President of the country. But today he is no more. This is because of a councillor who thinks that he is boss and that the people who have voted for him are his servants. It is because of a ruling party that holds the poor in contempt. It is because of a society in which the

This is the same story as in Cato Manor where the lives and dignity of the poor have been constantly vandalized by the government. The Secretary General of our movement is currently in Banjul in an African Human Rights Commission Conference to report on the gross violation of human rights by a brutal and oppressive government that claims to be democratic.

We will continue to encourage our people to connect themselves to essential services, and to do so in a well organised and safe manner, because the government is busy putting these services to the rich and elite. They have forgotten about us the poor. But when there are elections they remember that we exist.

Contact:

George Bonono 073 067 3274

Lungelo Ngwane 060 347 6440

Thuso Mohapii 084 042 0813