Cape Times: Abahlali’s housing protest ‘to continue’

The Cosatu meeting was disrupted by TR section residents with a help of ANC youth league not by ABM WC. Every protest in Khayelitsha is being ascribed to AbM WC at the moment but this is not the case.

http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5694105

Abahlali’s housing protest ‘to continue’

October 20, 2010 Edition 1

Quinton Mtyala

SHACK dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) has vowed to continue its “strike” protest in Khayelitsha following an “unsuccessful” meeting with provincial head of Human Settlements Mbulelo Tshangana.

Yesterday, Tshangana spent over three hours explaining the provincial government’s plan for the upgrade of informal settlements and its new plan for housing delivery.

But Khayelitsha community activist and leading AbM member Mzonki Poni said Tshangana had failed to address the concerns of communities who, through barricades and attacks on buses, have protested against their living conditions in some of the city’s worst informal settlements.

“The meeting does not really speak to the memorandum we delivered two weeks ago. We’ll apply pressure. It’s not just about making noise (by toyi-toying),” Poni said.

He said AbM would “engage” with the provincial government and city officials until it was satisfied there was a concrete plan for people living in informal settlements.

Asked if this meant a continuation of the protests, the latest of which disrupted a meeting addressed by Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi on Monday night, Poni said: “Yes”.

quinton.mtyala@inl.co.za