AbM Press Conference to Announce Mass Protest – 22 November, 10:00 a.m

Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Tuesday, 22 November 2011

Abahlali baseMjondolo Youth League to March to Demand the Immediate Removal of Nigel Gumede from Office

AbM Youth League to take to the streets and demand the removal of Nigel Gumede as Chairperson of the Housing Portfolio Committee and Infrastructure for eThekwini Municipality

WHAT: On Thursday, 24 November 2011, Abahlali baseMjondolo's Youth League will march to demand the immediate removal of Nigel Gumede as Chairperson of the Housing Portfolio Committee and Infrastructure for the eThekwini Municipality. This demand comes in the wake of threatening statements that have come from Gumede toward Abahlali baseMjondolo Chairperson, S'bu Zikode, and other members of Abahlali over the last two years. These statements by Gumede, especially in the context of the repression that AbM has faced, show that Gumede is a serious threat to democracy in Durban. Gumede's intimidation undermine our confidence in the official goodwill that will be needed to make the current negotiations

with the Mayor's office a success.

Gumede has also been grossly ineffective in his role and has discounted the needs of the poor time and time again during this tenure. We are living in life threatening conditions year after and year refuse to keep waiting indefinitely for decent housing and services.

Nigel Gumede is a direct threat to our ability to address and to overcome the life threatening and undignified conditions in which we have been forced to live for too long. It is these conditions that mean that we are the people in the City who are most at risk of climate change. He must resign now!

WHEN & WHERE:

· Press Conference: on 22 November 2011, 10am at the Abahlali
baseMjondolo office, Salisbury Centre, 347-351 Dr Pixley kaSeme aka West
Street. Durban

· Protest: on 24 November 2011, the march starts at Botha Park at 8am

WHO: The Youth League of Abahlali baseMjondolo has put out the call to march to AbM members in over 20 shack settlements around the Durban area. They have also
rallied allies who represent sister communities of taxi workers, street traders, hostel dwellers and others. We will fill the streets of Durban with a clear and firm demand for Nigel Gumede to go.

CONTACT: AbM Office: 031 304 6420 (071 424 2815); Mazwi Nzimande : 074 222 8601