17 April 2013
Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement Press statement

The suspect in the KwaNdengezi bush knife murders and Ward 12 Cllr Nqola Ngcobo return to Court

Abahlali bakwaNdengezi with the support of Abahlali baseMjondolo in general will be going to the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court today.

We will be protesting at the bail application of the accused in the KwaNdengezi bush knife murders. We will demand that bail be denied in the interests of the safety of the community and that there be a thorough investigation into these murders that looks closely at the motive for the killing. It will be remembered that last time the magistrate had ordered that the suspect‘s state of mind be examined by relevant doctors. The suspect had killed two comrades in one Abahlali family and then ran to another Abahlali family where he assaulted Mr Shozi. This was in a community where Abahlali members have been under serious intimidation, including threats of violence, for some time.

The councillor of the area Cllr Mduduzi Christian Nqola Ngcobo is due to appear in the same court today. He is appearing on charges of intimidation. Ngcobo who has become a threat in this community is well known for his undemocratic and thuggish behavior in the community. He has demolished people’s houses without a court order. He has built houses on other people’s land and then allocated them to people who are not from the area. It is widely alleged that houses have been allocated on the basis of bribery rather than social need. Ngcobo has also fired live ammunition at people. He has also allegedly knocked a child to death with his car early this year.

Nqola has got away with all of this and the eThekwini municipal Housing Unit and the Office of the Speaker have protected him. We do not know if some officials in eThekwini municipality benefit out of his activities. What we do know is that both the ANC and eThekwini municipality have failed to investigate him. They have decided to listen to him and to protect him instead of listening to the community and protecting the community.

We will also be protesting at Nqola’s court appearance. We will be making it clear that Abahlali will not allow politicians like Nqola and killers that come out of the night to destroy our communities. We demand that the ANC and the eThekwini Municipality investigate Nqola’s conduct in KwaNdengezi. We demand that there is a transparent and democratic development process and housing allocation in eThekwini. We demand that there is a fair and open housing list for all the people of eThekwini.

Please contact:

S’bu Zikode Abahlali baseMjondolo Chairperson: 083 5470474
Mnikelo Ndabankulu Abahlali baseMjondolo Medial and Liaison Activist: 081 2633462
Thulile Ndlovu Kwa Ndengezi Abahlali Chairperson: 073 5350219
Bandile Mdlalose Abahlali baseMjondolo Secretary: 084 5575090