http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/2008/11/matt-spent-10-days-living-at-qq.html

'Be a visitor, not a spy' - QQ Section, Site B, Khayelitsha

Matt Birkinshaw, October 2008

Introduction

For the first time in history more people in the world now live in cities than in rural areas. Globally one in five people live on land that does not legally belong to them. The UN predicts that this will rise to one in three by 2050. The future, to paraphrase Mike Davis, is not made of glass and steel, but of plastic, zinc and cardboard.

Cape Argus 23 October 2008

Event: AbM Western Cape March
Date: Wednesday 22 October, 2008
Time: 11h00-14h00
Assemble: In between Site-B Day Hospital and Train Station. March to Stocks & Stocks.

It begins. The shackdwellers of Khayelitsha will no longer be spoken about. We will speak for ourselves.

Abahlali baseMjondolo, the shackdweller's movement that has wrecked havoc on the oppressive town planning of the KwaZulu-Natal government, is now a force to be reckoned in the Western Cape.

Floods Rock the City

Joint AbM and AEC Press Statement
24 September 2008

Gugulethu -- About 50 residents from Thambo Square informal settlement have been displaced from their homes to a local community hall as a result of flooding in their shacks (Cape Town's heavy rain this winter has left a lot of people homeless in the City.

The devastated group early this morning marched to the office of their local Department of Social Development seeking immediate relief or intervention such as building material for their shacks, plastic to put over their roof, blankets and a temporary sleeping place. However all they were able to get from Social Development was an unpleasing response. People were told that the ANC government had nothing to do with their situation and they must go to DA. When trying to question the unpleasing response by government, instead of receiving a proper report, the police were called to intimidate and threaten the residents. Residents then went back to their flooded homes in Thambo Square informal settlement.