Category Archives: police

Brutal Attack on the Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa

30 July 2018
Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation Press Statement

Brutal Attack on the Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa

The Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa on the East Rand was founded on 13 February 2018. It has been coming under sustained, illegal and often violent attack from the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD). Shacks and people’s possessions have been repeatedly burnt.

We have taken the EMPD a lawyer’s letter informing them that their actions are illegal but it has made no difference. They returned today, at around 10:00, and stayed until 12:50. They burned 266 shacks and assaulted almost everyone. They used tear gas and rubber bullets. They even chased elderly people and pregnant women. Many of us are injured. One person has been very badly assaulted. They undressed him and then started beating him up.They burnt all our belonging including mattresses, clothes and children’s stuff for school.

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Intimidation from Armed ANC Members on the East Rand

Monday, 23 July 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Intimidation from Armed ANC Members on the East Rand

Abahlali baseMjondolo in the Good Hope Settlement in Germiston, on the East Rand, have been engaging around budgets and urban planning for a long time now. At the same time this branch has also organised the Zikode Extension Land Occupation on a nearby piece of unused land. Despite repeated illegal evictions, and the repeated confiscation and burning of building material, the occupation will soon celebrate its first three months on the land.

Promises have been regularly made, by the ruling party and various levels of government, that development is coming to Good Hope. But we do not see any allocation for us in the relevant budgets documents.  Continue reading

Illegal Attacks on the Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa

Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation

Friday, 6 July 201

Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation Press Statement

Illegal Attacks on the Phumula Mqashi Land Occupation in Tembisa

On 13 February 2018 a large tract of empty land was occupied in Tembisa, on the East Rand. During apartheid the land was used by the army. Since then it has remained unused. There were more than 700 occupiers and they were members of various organisations and came from a number of areas including Jiyane, Vusimuzi, Sivana, Welamulambo, Mgantsa and Thafani Section. Some had been renting shacks and others were living with their parents or grandparents in four room township houses. Sometimes there are ten or even fourteen people living in these four room houses. Young people need a place of their own to raise their children. Continue reading

Death Threats by Armed Men Against Leaders in the Zikode Extension Occupation

Saturday, 26 May 2018

Zikode Extension

Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Death Threats by Armed Men Against Leaders in the Zikode Extension Occupation

Today is day 16 of the Zikode Extension Land Occupation on the East Rand, between Boksburg and Germiston. Many of us are sick after 15 nights on the land. Some of us are still carrying wounds from the brutal police assault on 17 May. Our shacks have been repeatedly destroyed and the building materials burnt or confiscated. Cars used to transport the materials to the occupation have been impounded. We are also facing death threats. Armed men, unknown to us, are looking for our leaders. Continue reading

Metro police fire rubber bullets at residents in Ekurhuleni’s Good Hope settlement

Nation Nyoka & Dennis Webster, The Daily Maverick

Residents of the Good Hope settlement in Germiston have occupied vacant land on the border of Germiston and Boksburg, partly in response to lack of space at the existing settlement. On Thursday morning, Ekurhuleni Metro Police dispersed them with rubber bullets. 

New Frame witnessed a brutal attack by Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers on residents of the Good Hope shack settlement in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, in the early hours of Thursday morning.

At least one resident, Siyambusa Mpolase, was arrested.

The police action was in response to the occupation of a piece of nearby land which began on Friday 11 May.  Continue reading