“Dear Mandela” – the struggle for dignity and human rights for South
Africa’s shack dwellers

Please join Amnesty International and War on Want to hear about the
remarkable work of Abahlali baseMjondolo (‘people of the shacks’), a
movement campaigning for the rights of many thousands of South
Africans living without access to adequate housing and at risk of
forced evictions.

Caroline Elliot, from War on Want, will introduce the evening’s
programme, which includes the first UK screening of the film, Dear
Mandela, the story of the emergence of Abahlali, its courageous
response to the numerous challenges it has faced and its campaign
against forced evictions, which led to the constitutional court
victory in 2009.

Bandile Mdlalose, the Secretary General of Abahlali, will provide a
first-hand account of the realities experienced by shack-dwellers and
of incidents of harassment and threats against Abahlali’s members and
supporters because of their activism.

Mary Rayner, AI’s researcher on South Africa, will speak about AI’s
monitoring and support work for Abahlali members violently displaced
in late 2009 from their homes at Kennedy Road informal settlement and
for others who were at risk of an unfair trial in the aftermath of the
attacks.

Event venue
Human Rights Action Centre, 17 – 25 New Inn Yard, EC2A 3EA

Date and Time
Friday 7 October 2011 at 6:30 p.m.

Contact
Caroline Elliot, War on Want ;

Africa Programme (Attn South Africa), Amnesty International

Email
CElliot@waronwant.org ; amnestyis@amnesty.org