UnFreedom Day 2011 – Des D’Sa from the Wentworth Development Forum

Letter from Des D’sa to AbM on 28 April 2011

Dear Friends

Yesterday was FREEDOM Day in South Africa and as many people celebrate the freedom we attained after 300years of apartheid and yet despite all this celebration ,many of the poor mourned the death of the very same freedom which many people had died or imprisoned for. They mourned the death of freedom at a time when the country is gearing up for the local government elections. The poor of Durban find themselves at a cross road with people been deprived of their livelihoods and living in inhumane conditions without access to clean running water and energy despite the promises made since 1994 . The poor living in Flats having their water and electricity cut off because the cost is unaffordable to pay. The gap between the rich and poor increasing ever large since the dawn of a democratic dispensation and promises of a better life for all has faded rather rapidly. Scarce water resources ,land, secured food and energy including unemployment and coupled with poverty has become the most important issues facing the planet and its people .

Yesterday in several rallies in townships including the shacks across South Africa ,the poor acknowledges that the better life will remain a pipe dream unless they collectively take up the struggle and unite to ensure that more pressure is put on those who claim to represent their interest .As we head towards COP17 we need to make every effort that the voices of the people that suffer the most are heard and become the loudest in the streets of Durban .

Attached is a protest on Freedom day [yesterday] on opening up access to the fishing grounds denied by the local government since the 2010 world cup.

ALUTA CONTINUA!

Des