Abahlali baseMjondolo case against the Minister of Police Returns to the Durban High Court on Monday, 22 April 2013

20 April 2012
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Abahlali baseMjondolo case against the Minister of Police Returns to the Durban High Court on Monday, 22 April 2013

On the 12th of September 2006 S’bu Zikode and Philani Zungu, then the
chairperson and deputy chairperson of Abahlali baseMjondolo, were arrested on
their way to a radio interview and subject to severe assault in the Sydenham
Police Station. When people in the nearby Kennedy Road shack settlement
rallied in support of Zikode and Zungu they were attacked by the police and
Nondumiso Mke was shot in her knee with live ammunition. The arrest and  assault from police at the hands of the police was highly politicised and
followed intimidation from senior politicians that included a warning that
the movement must stop its communication with the media. For background to
this see the statement online at http://abahlali.org//////node/72.

The article that was published in the Mail & Guardian after the arrest and assault is online at http://mg.co.za/article/2006-09-16-i-was-punched-beaten.

The articles that was published in the Sunday Tribune is online at:
http://abahlali.org//////node/883.

There is an Abahlali baseMjondolo statement from 2008 that gives a good
overview of the repression that the movement faced in its early years. It is
online at http://abahlali.org//////node/3249.

Abahlali baseMjondolo are, with the support of the Socio-Economic Rights Institute, suing the Minister of Police for the assaults on Zikode, Zungu and Mke. The first part of the trial took place in December last year. The trial will resume, in Durban High court on Monday 22 April 2013 at 09:00 a.m.

For more information please contact:
Mnikelo Ndabankulu : 081 263 3462
Zodwa Nsibande : 071 183 4388