Category Archives: Road Blockades

The Road Blockades are Up on the East Rand

28 May 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Road Blockade, East Rand

The Road Blockades are Up on the East Rand

For years we have tried to talk to the politicians and officials in the Ekurhuleni Municipality and Gauteng Provincial Government about our urgent need for land and housing. These attempts have been fruitless. Since we founded the Zikode Extension land occupation we have faced relentless illegal evictions as well as police violence and death threats. We went to court to try and stop the illegal evictions and were told that our concerns were not urgent. In the meantime, armed men have been looking for our leaders and we are getting sick after night after night in the open after our shacks have been demolished.

We have decided to organise a strike. This morning we have blocked a number of roads on the East Rand in protest against the ongoing illegal evictions, the police violence and the threats from local ANC leaders. We have not taken this decision lightly and we know that the blockades will result in more police violence. Continue reading

Abahlali took to the streets in Cato Crest this morning

21 May 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statements

Abahlali took to the streets in Cato Crest this morning

Today at 3 am Abahlali baseMjondolo in Cato Crest took to the street and blockaded Vusi Mzimela Road and the Jan Smuts Highway.

For a long time the community has been side-lined by the Ward Councillor when it comes to providing basic services, including those which are urgently required for basic human dignity and safety. The community has been living in the area without electricity, proper water and toilets. People are raising children in these dangerous conditions.  Continue reading

Umlazi Ward 88 Councillor arrested for death threats and an unlicensed firearm

16 July 2017
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Umlazi Ward 88 Councillor arrested for death threats and an unlicensed firearm

Ward 88 Councillor S’bu Maphumulo has been threatening the Abahlali leadership in our Silver City branch in Umlazi. When he was appointed the councillor was not known in the area and after he became a councillor he never visited the residents there. The first time that he was seen in the area was after our recent protests in support of the restoration of our human dignity. On Sunday, 9 July 2017, while Abahlali were holding their local community meeting, Cllr Maphumulo stormed the meeting with seven armed men, three hitmen and four police officers, in full police uniform, from GG Umlazi. He pointed to the local Abahlali chairperson, Lungelo Hlongwane, and said ‘’here is the man”. The armed men who had stormed the meeting then asked what the meeting was all about, was it about road blockades, or what. Lungelo said this was one of the regular community meetings that they hold about their lives and their future.  Continue reading

The Mercury: City, Abahlali stand-off and eviction protests continue

by Thami Magubane, The Mercury

Abahlali baseMjondolo protesters marched to Durban City Hall Picture: Bongani Mbatha

Attitudes have hardened between Abahlali BaseMjondolo and eThekwini Municipality as the group has vowed to continue to protest following a violent protest last week where 14 people were injured and two arrested and a municipal vehicle was burnt.  Continue reading

Brutal Evictions and Road Blockades are Continuing

Friday, July 7, 2017
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Brutal Evictions and Road Blockades are Continuing

As we explained in our statement yesterday we marched, in our thousands, on the Mayor of the eThekwini Municipality and the KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance on 26 June. However the Mayor and the MEC refused to present themselves to the thousands of people who marched on the City Hall.

The memoranda that we handed over gave them seven days to respond to our demands. We made it clear that if there was no response we would engage in further protest action. The seven days passed with no response. This the politic of contempt.  Continue reading