Durban Magistrate's Court Thursday 9 October 2009

KwaZulu Natal Christian Council Leaders visit the 8 Leaders of Abahlali BaseMjondolo in Sydenham Police Station

Bishop Rubin Phillip, the Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council and Rev Phumzile Zondi-Mabizela, the Chief Executive Officer, visited the 8 Abahlali baseMjondolo leaders that were arrested on Sunday 27 September 2009. The visit took place yesterday afternoon, Monday 4 October at Sydenham Police Station. They were accompanied by delegates from the Church Land Programme, as well as the group’s Advocate and Attorney.

The Sydenham Police Station was receptive to our visit, and we were able to visit with the leaders at the two cells in which they are being held. They appeared to be in good health and their spirits still strong. They are anxious for their families as, together with other leaders of Abahlali, their homes have been destroyed in the attacks. Furthermore, as day labourers they are not earning any money to support their families whilst being held by the police.

Tuesday, 06 October 2009
Press Statement by the Kennedy Road Development Committee, Abahlali baseMjondolo and the Poor People’s Alliance

Our Movement is under Attack

We are under attack. We have been attacked physically with all kinds of weapons - guns and knives, even a sword. We have been driven from our homes and our community. The police did nothing to stop the attacks on us despite our calls for help. The attacks, which began on the night of Saturday 26 September, were carried out by local ANC members together with shebeen owners from the Kennedy Road settlement. They were saying that our movement was ‘selling them’ to the AmaMpondo. It is a fact that our movement, at the local branch level and at the movement level, has no concern for where people were born or where their ancestors were born. We are a movement of the poor and that means that we do not make divisions between the poor. We have always been clear about this. This is our politics and we will stick to it.