Sunday 7 August 2011

Reject City of Cape Town Flood intervention strategy

The current city of Cape Town flood intervention strategy is an insult to the poor, and Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape rejects it.

We are very disapointed by the current flood intervention strategy of city of Cape Town, they capitalised on desperation of poor people within the city. The fact that peoples houses are flooded that does not mean people are hungry or they must be taken advantage by those in power. People don't need food but need houses.

For the past few days the city of Cape Town has been distributing dirty blankets, loaf of breads and 2L of amasi to floods victims. Last month we have invited Patricia De Lille to come and address us on her current flood intervention strategy and we have stated clearly to her that we reject the current city's flood intervention strategy as it means nothing but insulting the poor and she decided not to come. Giving people 2L of amasi and loaf of bread does not make the problem go away.

27 July 2011
Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape

With or Without a Permit our March Goes Ahead

Today the Mitchell's Plain backyarders, supported by Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape, Communities for Social Change, Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign, Mandela Park backyarders, and many other community based organizations will appear in front of Cape Town High Court to oppose the interdict from the City of Cape Town, which follows occupation of unused piece of Land by M/ Plain backyarders 2 days before 2011 local government election (May).

17 members of ABM WC from Langa Temporal Relocation Area will also appear in front of Magistrate Court at Bellville follow their illegal arrest by police during occupation of empty RDP houses at DELFT Last month.

Mzonke Poni
Chairperson of Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape
073 2562 036
www.khayelitshastruggles.com

Attention: Honourable Mayor, Patricia de Lille

We would like to invite you to attend and address our general meeting that
will take place on the 23rd July 2011 at khayelithsa (we will confirm the
venue once you indicate your availability).

Mainly we would like you to address the following concerns:

1. The city's intervention strategy for floods victims (mainly under your
current administration) - for the past 17 years after so called democracy
people residing within informal settlement have been the victim of floods

Oppose the DA budget that will be passed tomorrow - 8th June 2011

On the 4th of June 2011 Abahlali beseMjondolo of the Western Cape organized a meeting with community based organizations which took place at Khayelitsha ABM-WC offices.

The aim of the meeting was to organize a mass march which will go to the city of Cape Town on July 2011 to oppose the reactionary city of Cape Town Anti-Land invasion unit, which has been demolishing people's structure with out any order from the court.

These community based Organizations participated in our meeting:

1. Proudly Manenberg

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2011/04/26/townships-are-hell-says-cross-bearing-pastor

Townships are hell, says cross-bearing pastor
26-Apr-2011 | Sabelo Mpana

A CAPE Town pastor, Xola Skosana, marched almost 14km carrying a huge wooden cross to proclaim that "South African townships are hell"

The march - from Gugulethu to Khayelitsha - took place on Saturday.

Though the huge cross was fitted with a wheel to enable Skosana to drag it the pillow on his shoulder, on which the cross rested, showed that it was still a very heavy load.

This article has now been published by Pambazuka.

Telling the Untold Story

BY ZIMASA LERUMO, A 20 YEAR OLD UNEMPLOYED WOMAN LIVING AT QQ INFORMAL SETTLEMENT WITHOUT ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, TOILET, AND ELECTRICITY.

(ZIMASA IS COORDINATING ABM - WC YOUTH PROJECT AND SHE WILL ALSO BE SPEAKING AT OUR NO LAND! NO HOUSE! NO VOTE! LAUNCH WHICH WILL BE HELD AT VE INFORMAL SETTLEMENT ON THE 21ST MARCH 2011).

I WAS BORN 1990-27-09 IN CAPE TOWN,IN A VERY BIG HOSPITAL CALLED GROOTERSCHUUR BUT I GROW UP IN EASTERN CAPE IN A SMALL RURAL AREA CALLED EDIPHALA IN [WHITTLE SEA] AT THAT TIME LIFE WAS VERY EASY BECAUSE I WAS RAISED UP BY BOTH PARENTS AND BOTH GRAND PARENTS IN BOTH FAMALIES, BUT THINGS GOT CHANGED WHEN MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED AND MY MOTHER LEFT MY FATHER AND SHE DECIDED TO LEAVE EASTERN CAPE, SHE WENT TO JHB TO WORK SO THAT ME AND MY BROTHER CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE.

ABAHLALI BASEMJONDOLO OF THE WESTERN CAPE

Home Website: khayelitshastruggles.com or www.abahlali.org

Email: abmwesterncape@abahlali.org office admin: 073 2562 036

ABM WC Will Attend the Conference for a Democratic Left

As Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape we have decided to support the call for a Conference for a Democratic Left (CDL). We note that the CDL has issued statements in support of our movement when we have been under attack from reactionary forces and that the CDL has declared that it aims to build a democratic alliance of progressive forces that is committed to a bottom up transformation of society.

We Call on TAC Comrades to Stop Making Divisive Statements and Accusation of ABM WC

The Treatment Action Campaign, Social Justice Coalition and Equal Education have accused Abahlali baseMjondolo in the Western Cape of promoting violence and disrupting their meetings. I would like to make it clear that Abahlali baseMjondolo does not condone violence, meaning harm to persons. Our week of action in October was a strike by shack dwellers, by means of direct action common to protests in other countries. Moreover the accusation that we have disrupted meetings of these organizations is a complete falsehood. Those responsible for disrupting the Irene Grootboom lecture by Comrade Vavi in Site B, and those who disrupted a more recent meeting, are associated with the ANC Youth League in Khayelitsha and not with Abahlali baseMjondolo. We ask these organizations to stop making divisive statements and to publicly withdraw their accusations.

The SACP statement is here.

ABAHLALI BASEMJONDOLO MOVEMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA (WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE)

Home Website: khayelitshastruggles.com or www.abahlali.org

Email: abmwesterncape@abahlali.org office admin: 073 2562 036

Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape Responds to the South African Communist Party

As Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape we have noted the statement by the South African Communist Party that declares that blockading public roads is "anarchy and reactionary."

The statement by TAC et al is here.

ABAHLALI BASEMJONDOLO MOVEMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA (WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE)

Home Website: khayelitshastruggles.com or www.abahlali.org

Email: abmwesterncape@abahlali.org office admin: 073 2562 036/ 078 760 5246

Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape Replies to the Treatment Action Campaign

As Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape we have noted the statement by the Treatment Action Campaign and its subsidiary organisations condemning our call for a week of informal settlement’s strike.