15 Protestors Shot With Rubber Bullets in Cape Town

http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/2009/07/re-urgent-update-on-abm-wc-protest.html

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Re: an urgent update on ABM-WC Protest

5 Protestors Shot With Rubber Bullets in Cape Town

The ABM-WC is calling an end to state criminality of criminalizing it’s members by applying old apartheid tactics of arresting, assaulting, and shooting people with rubber bullets when they exercise their right to freedom of expression and the right to protest.

The movement will not be silenced by the state under the leadership of so called ANC government, and will continue to be vocal using any forms of engagement.

The ANC NWC had issued the following press statement, calling on communities not engaging government on mass base activities and as ABM-WC we are calling on to the ANC-NWC not on employing the old regime tactics through using police force to disperse people and we are saying they must come down and listen at peoples demands and not be reactional as their head of human settlement Tokyo who owns a 56 million house, while the poor are struggling to get the security of tenure to the land that they have occupied for years, still dumped our site the cities and living under appalling conditions with no access to clean water and toilets.

Update no 1:

More than 15 people were shot at by rubber bullets by reactional SAPS and Metropolice Members at yesterdays protest at Khayelitsha and one of them is under critical condition at Grooteschuur Hospital. He is the only bread winner for his family and he is having 5 children, which four of them are still schooling, and he is between the age of 45 and 50.

Currently we are not aware of any arrests that have been made and we’ll be able to update the media regard to arrests during the course of the day and with further injuries.

Currently the Landsdown road from Steve Biko Drive to Bonga drive is still not working and QQ, RR, and BM residents will make sure that today as early as 08:HRS in the morning they continue with their freedom of expression through mass base activities and if Dan Plato and his disaster management team continues with their attitude of undermining the poor, we will also continue with our protest till he comes down to the poor.

PLEASE NOTE: on the 20th July 2009 Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape will be marching to the City of Cape Town in support of Macassar Village land occupation and against city’s illegal demolitions of peoples structures at Macassar Village and in demand of peoples material that were confiscated illegal by so called city’s anti land invasion unit.

for more info please call:

for macassar village please call Theliwe Macekiswana at 083…

For Khayelitsha Protest please call Mbongeni Mkhalipi at 076 981 6945 for QQ and RR
Mthobeli Qona at 076 875 9533 for QQ, RR and BM
Cebo at 073 5657850 for PJS

For ABM-WC march and further information please call Mzonke Poni ABM-WC chairperson at 073 2562 036

ANC NWC MEDIA STATEMENT ON SERVICE DELIVERY PROTESTS

The African National Congress (ANC) National Working Committee (NWC) today (13 July 2009) held its regular meeting at Chief Albert Luthuli House in Johannesburg to deliberate on various challenges facing the organisation.

Noting the various service delivery protests in some parts of the country, the NWC expressed concern at the violent nature of the demonstrations. The burning of buildings and stoning of vehicles have been among the violent tactics employed by the protesters.

We call on our people to stop the violence and engage meaningfully with leaders at all levels to express their concerns.

Issued by:
Brian Sokutu
African National Congress
Chief Albert Luthuli House
54 Sauer Street
Johannesburg 2001

13 July 2009

Enquiries:
Brian Sokutu 071 671 6899