Attacks on shackdwellers - a failure of citizenship?

by Michael Neocosmos in Pambazuka News

If the South African state is a democracy, Michael Neocosmos asks in Pambazuka News, how has it condoned the deployment of violence and murder on the shackdwellers movement Abahlali baseMjondolo, an organisation of the poor that has ‘engaged in peaceful protests’ and ‘advocated peaceful alternatives to the dominant politics’? At the root of the problem of the state reaction to Abahlali, Neocosmos argues, is ‘not simply a failure of democracy, but a systematic failure of citizenship and of the nation.’

Presentation at the Development Action Group Workshop
Cape Town, 18 November 2009

by Mnikelo Ndabankulu

We Want the Full Loaf (not just a child support grant)

The Slums Act

The Slums Act first came to our ears as a Bill in 2006. The information about this Bill came to us indirectly through our sources.

It was clear that we needed to discuss this Bill as Abahlali. M'du Hlongwa and I both went to the Government Communications to ask a copy. We had two copies and we shared these copies and we analysed the Bill. We had a number of meetings where we read the Bill together going one line by one line.

Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape
Press Statement, Friday 27 November 2009

Protest Against State Repression to be Held at at Macassar Village Tomorrow

We will be holding a protest against state repression at New Road, Maccassar Village, from 11:00 on Saturday 28 November 2009.

Our movement is under serious attack in Durban. Our comrades in Abahlali baseMjondolo in Durban have been attacked and had their homes destroyed by an armed ANC militia supported by the local police and politicians. They have also been arrested, denied bail, beaten while in custody and attacked and seriously beaten by the police while going about their ordinary activities in their communities. Many of our comrades are living under death threats and have been turned into refugees. Many of our comrades are no longer able to appear in public in Durban. There have been longstanding problems with democracy in Durban but it is now clear that there is no longer any democracy in Durban. Durban ceased to be a democratic city on 26 September 2009 when this wave of violent repression was launched against our movement.

http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global[_id]=31596

Churches want justice
25 Nov 2009
Jared Sacks

BISHOP Rubin Phillip, one of the most respected Christian leaders and anti-apartheid activists in South Africa, last week published a landmark statement calling the court proceedings of the Kennedy 13 “a moral and legal outrage that amounts to detention without trial by means of delay”. He has also used the words “kangaroo court”, “political agenda” and “a travesty of justice” to describe the legal process.

16 November, 20:42
Abahlali basePemary Ridge Press Statement

All Charges Dropped Against the Pemary 13, But Someone Needs to Answer for Police Attacks

Abahlali basePemary Ridge is happy that all charges were dropped against 13 of our members, who were arrested in a brutal attack last Friday by the Sydenham police.

Abahlali has said, since 2005, “My lawyer is my neighbour.” In court today, the Pemary 13 were not represented by a lawyer, but by the Chairperson of Abahlali baseMotala Heights , Shamita Naidoo, who learned about justice through years of experience working in her community, and about the law seeing case after political case brought by police against shack-dwellers. Shamita spoke powerfully and with a lot of anger against the police violence so common in Abahlali communities, and in all shack settlements.

Update, 16 November 11:45 - All charges against the Pemary Ridge 13 were dropped in the Pinetown Magistrate's court this morning.

Update, 14 November 12:55 - The Sydenham Police continue to deny repeated explicit requests from the prisoners, and their families and comrades, for the injured detainees to receive medical attention.

This man was rushed to hospital after being beaten during the police attack on Pemary Ridge. Click here to see more pictures taken in the aftermath of the attack and here to read some brief notes on the attack.