ENCA: Shack dwellers say they won’t vote

Durban – Abahlali Basemjondolo, the shack dwellers’ organisation in KwaZulu-Natal, are threatening to boycott the 2014 general election, if they do not have appropriate housing by then.

The organisation held a rally in Durban at the weekend to commemorate what they called “no freedom day”, while the rest of the country celebrated 19 years of democracy.

The shack dwellers said they were tired of living in shacks without electricity or water.

Abahlali Basemjondolo also said they were fed up with receiving food parcels during election campaigns in exchange for their vote, but no other help at any other time.

They want the 400,000 housing backlog in the eThekwini Municipality to be resolved before next year’s election.