Monday, 13 August 2012
Unemployed People’s Movement Press Statement

Two Arrests Made in Connection with the Shootings in Umlazi, Further Threats to Bheki Buthelezi

On the 30th June Bhekimuzi Ndlovu was shot in the Zakheleni shack settlement following a series of protests against the Ward Councillor and for land, housing and other development. The case number is 225/07/2012.

Ndlovu had become close to Bheki Buthelezi and to the struggle that was being organised in the Zakheleni shack settlement. However he had been close to the local ANC and the councillor and so they saw him as a traitor. He was shot by supporters of the ruling party. They sacrificed him, like an animal. They thought that he was dead. After Ndlovu was shot the ANC supporters convened a meeting and said that Bheki Buthelezi was the one who had shot Ndlovu. It has become a typical tactic of repression for the ruling party to engage in violence against activists and to then blame the activists for this violence. However unbeknownst to the local ANC Ndlovu had survived the shooting and was in hospital.

26 July 2012
Combined AbM & UPM Press Statement

Ward 88 BEC Refuses to Go to the People

For the past months the organised poor in Ward 88 in Durban have been fighting for their rights, and the resignation of Nomzamo Mkhize who is the current ANC Ward Councillor.

Their struggle has led to activists being arrested, shot at with real bullets by the police and threats and an assault at the hands of the councillor. Despite all these violations of their right to participate in decision making that directly affects them the activists in Ward 88 did not give up and have shown that they are prepared to continue their fight for justice and their human dignity to be installed.

18 July 2012
Combined UPM & AbM Press Statement

Update from Umlazi: Zwelethu Train Station Shut Down & Protest at the Police Station

At around 4:00 a.m. yesterday morning activists involved in the Umlazi Occupation and the ward 88 struggle closed down the Zwelethu Train Station. This action was in protest at the failure of the police to arrest the ward councillor, Nomzamo Mkhize, after she and her son assaulted an activist.

There was a stand-off between activists and the police at the train station following which the general secretary of the BEC of the local ANC branch, Sandile, tried to arrange an urgent meeting with Nigel Gumede. A meeting with Gumede has always been one of the demands of the Umlazi Occupation.

16 July 2012
Combined UPM & AbM Press Statement

ASSAULT AND INTIMIDATION OF ACTION BY UMLAZI COUNCILLOR

Yesterday at around 14:00 pm there was a mass gathering of the continuous occupation that is happening in the People's Office that has been set up next to the Councillor's Office, in Ward 88, Umlazi.

A report was given on how the struggle of Umlazi started and how it got the attention of the Branch Executive Committee (BEC) which had come with lot of promises like getting what the community have demanded from them which was a meeting with Nigel Gumede, the Chairperson of the Housing Portfolio Committee and Infrastructure also Willies Mchunu, the MEC of Safety and Community. The meeting of delivering by the BEC sat on Wednesday (04th of July) unfortunately they delivered nothing that was expected and which they had promised. Neither Gumede or Mchunu attended the meeting and the BEC offered nothing but sweet talk.

Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
12 July 2012

Puntan's Hill Shack Dwellers Blockade Umgeni Road

At around 3 a.m. this morning angry residents of the Puntan's Hill shack settlement blocked Umgeni Road with tyres in protest at their dissatisfaction with Cllr. Bhekisani Ngcobo. When Ngcobo was mobilising for votes he promised them that as soon as he takes office as a councillor he would electrify their shacks. The shacks have never been electrified and last week someone was killed while trying to make a self-organised connection.

Ngcobo has not kept any of his promises. The community have tried several times to talk to him but he has neglected them and ignored their demand. Once more the poor have been used as ladders by politicians. This is why they decided to block the road this morning.

Thursday, 05 July 2012
Combined Abahlali baseMjondolo & Unemployed People’s Movement Statement

Occupy Umlazi!

The meeting between senior ANC representatives and representatives from the shacks in Ward 88, Umlazi, was supposed to start at 3:00 p.m. It ended up starting at 5:00 p.m. None of the senior ANC people that were expected pitched up. Only the ANC regional representatives came.

The ANC said that they needed a tangible reasone why the community representatives needed to see MEC Willies Mchunu. This was so clumsy! What could be more tangible than the fact that people are currently in hospital due to police brutality and shootings. They could also not give any good reason why Nigel Gumede was not at the meeting. They did not do what they had promised to do.

30 June 2012
AbM & UPM Press Statement

Update on Repression & Resistance in the Zakheleni Shack Settlement, Ward 88, Umlazi, Durban

At around 4:00 a.m. this morning a group of around 50 heavily armed police officers arrived at Bheki Buthelezi's shack in the Zakheleni shack settlement in Umlazi and demanded to search it. When confronted with the fact that they did not have a warrant they retired and then returned at around 4:50 with a document stating that they had a warrant to search the entire settlement. But they only searched Bheki's shack. They found nothing. During the search a helicopter with a search light hovered over the settlement. Ten activists, all of whom have become leaders in the rebellion in Ward 88, and all of whom have been warned that the police and local party leaders after after them, slipped away during the police raid and are now in hiding.

Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Unemployed People’s Movement Press Statement

Update from Ward 88 in Umlazi, Durban

In all the confusion and urgency last night it was impossible to meet and prepare a clear statement explaining events. We are now in a position to do so.

Noxolo Mkwayi was shot in her bed in Zakheleni

Yesterday the Unemployed People’s Movement called a meeting in Ward 88, Umlazi. At this meeting it was resolved to stage a peaceful occupation of the Ward Councillor’s offices. The offices were duly occupied and commissions were then set up to hold discussions on various matters. There was a commission on unemployment, on housing and on safety (crime and shack fires).

25 June 2012
Abahlali baseMjondolo & Unemployed People's Movement Press Statement

Charges Against Bheki Buthelezi Withdrawn & the Zakheleni 18 Released

Today all charges against Bheki Buthelezi were dropped and the Zakheleni 18 were released on free bail at the Umlazi Magistrate's Court. It is clear that the arrest of the 18 was politically engineered. The arrestees clearly stated in court that they don’t know the reason why they were arrested. As the magistrate asked them why they were arrested they said they had no idea and that they were just having drinks with friends on a Saturday evening when the police simply came and arrested them. The 18 were released on free bail with the understanding that the police have no evidence against any of the accused, that they were not involved in any violence and they are all poor and unemployed.

Update - 25 June 3:30 p.m. The charges against Bheki Buthelezi have been dropped and the Zakheleni 18 have been released without bail. They are scheduled to appear again on the 16th of July.

24 June 2012
Unemployed People's Movement Press Statement

Another 18 People Arrested in Umlazi, Durban

Last night when the comrades from Abahlali baseMjondolo and the Unemployed People's Movement were protesting outside the Umlazi Police Station to demand the immediate release of Bheki Buthelezi the police said that they would be making further arrests to 'stop the burning of tyres in Umlazi'. They made the same threat to Bheki as he was released at the Adam's Mission Police Station far from the protest.