Comrades in New Zealand in Solidarity with AbM

24 September 2011
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Activists in New Zealand Who Once Supported the Leadership of the ANC in the Struggle Against Apartheid are now supporting AbM's Struggle for Justice.

S'bu Zikode & John Minto, New Zealand, 30th Anniversary of the 1981 protest against the Springbok Tour

In the small country of New Zealand, with a population of about 4.5 million people nationally, the AbM President S'bu Zikode gave an inspiring and challenging speech to 300 people on 11 September 2011. These people were once strong supporters of the ANC during the struggle against apartheid. It is sad that the very same people who fought for the freedom of all South Africans have now been betrayed by the very same comrades who they once fought for to free the country from apartheid. “Since the end of apartheid the rich have gone richer and the poor have become poorer” the President told the assembled group. As he was going around New Zealand he also showed the comrades on that side something about the lives of the poor in South Africa by screening the film Dear Mandela. New Zealanders were stunned by the revelations in the film and the President's talks as they have 0% shacks in their country.

During his journey the President met with the High Commissioner of South Africa to New Zealand, who was also surprised that there are people living under these conditions in his own country. He was also shocked to hear that we have exhausted all avenues of the government from Local to Provincial to National without getting any one to take us, and our situation, seriously.

We are always looking for allies in our struggle to build the power of the poor in South Africa through bottom up mass democratic organising. The comrades in New Zealand have pledged their support in our fight for a second struggle in South Africa, a struggle for social justice. We already have friends of AbM groups in England and in America and we look forward to having a good relationship with the comrades in New Zealand too.

Although there is 0% shacks in New Zealand some of the things that the New Zealanders are still in struggle for are no different from the struggle of Abahlali, which is the struggle for land reform, justice and equality. The black position in South Africa still echoes that of Maori in New Zealand stemming from a shared history of European Colonization. “Our land was stolen from us. Now that the country is in the hands of the black majority the only change we see since 1994 is the change from white faces to black faces in government”.

A key difference in the struggle in New Zealand and in South Africa is that in New Zealand, unlike South Africa, the rights of the protesters are not violated by the police. Back in the times of apartheid you would find policemen carrying guns waiting to shoot at people. Even today the same approach is being done. We are becoming a Police State. Bheki Cele is currently calling on the media to treat protesters as criminals and promising more 'robust policing' against protests. In New Zealand when the people protest it a gun free zone. No guns are being carried by police officers. You won’t hear of any incident like the shooting of protesters. Is it right to call South Africa as a free country while the only difference is that today it is not only the white police that are carrying guns for us but even our own black brothers are carrying guns to shoot at us? The answer has to be no.

For as long as we as the poor are not really free in South Africa we will continue to build a politics of the poor, for the poor and by the poor.

We acknowledge the contribution of Global Peace and Justice, Auckland which is led by John Minto as its spokesperson. We also acknowledge the good work that our President did in explaining our struggle to the comrades in New Zealand. However we are all clear that it is the struggle of AbM to bring truth, equality, dignity and spirit of Ubuntu to South Africa that the New Zealand comrades support. They turned out in their hundreds to listen to the AbM President's presentation in all six cities – Auckland, Hamilton, Dunedun, Christchurch, Wellington and Palmerstone North. We stand strong in solidarity with the New Zealand comrades and will respond to all calls to support their struggles from here.

We demand that the government recognise the poor as human beings equal to all other human beings and treat us equally and with respect. If we are not treated equally we will use the same strategies used by the Women of Cato Manor, Steve Biko, Nelson Mandela and other freedom fighters to free South Africa so that our dignity can be restored to us.

Aluta Continua New Zealanders!!!

For more information please contact:

Abahlali baseMjondolo office: 031 304 6420
Bandile Mdlalose: ABM Secretary General 071 424 2815
Mazwi Nzimande: ABM Youth President 074 222 8601