Category Archives: The Attack on AbM in Kennedy Road

The destruction of Kennedy Road: A precursor to Marikana

http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=350576&sn=Detail&pid=71619

The destruction of Kennedy Road: A precursor to Marikana

Kenneth Good on how the temerity of the organised poor was met with a ferocious counter-attack from the state

It was widely believed that the end of apartheid would mean the end of shack or squatter settlements, developmentally, consultatively, not by destruction and coercion. The need was pressing as the country’s new constitution of 1996 recognised. Section 26 declared that ‘everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing’, that ‘the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures…to achieve the progressive realisation of this right’, and that ‘no one may be evicted from their home, or have their home demolished, without an order of court made after considering all relevant circumstance. No legislation may permit arbitrary evictions’. Continue reading →

Three Years after the Attack on our Movement, the Kennedy Road Displacees Remain Homeless and in Exile

27 September 2012
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement

Three Years after the Attack on our Movement, the Kennedy Road Displacees Remain Homeless and in Exile

The attack on Abahlali baseMjondolo in 2009 set a tone for KwaZulu-Natal to become the province where warlordism and the assassination of leaders and activists has become the order of the day. It was also a warning to the poor that we should accept landlessness, homelessness and all forms of injustices and inequality as the order of the day if we want to survive this democracy.

It was on the night of the 26th, 27th and 28th of September 2009 that the whole political plot was concluded and carried out to assassinate the leadership of Abahlali. We know and we want the nation and the whole world to know that this plot was planned at a very high political level in our province. The plot was not just aimed at reigniting the politic of fear and assassination among those of us who refuse to accept fear. It was also aimed at tearing apart our movement – a movement that has brought us together, a movement that has made us realise how much power and value we have when we stand together. A movement that has shown us how we were made poor by colonial rule, by apartheid and by the post-apartheid state. A movement that has insisted that democracy means that everyone has the same right to participate in decision making and that the land, cities and wealth of our country must be shared and managed equally.

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Memory of the the attack on 26th September 2009

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From: “Sindi Mkhize”
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 09:10:26 +0200
To: Abahlali baseMjondolo
Cc: S’bu Zikode
Subject: MEMORY OF ATTACK 26 SEPTEMBER 2009

I was a victim, we are the victims, and they are the victims.

I am still a victim. This memory will never go away until I find a place I will call it home.

We are still suffering and I can say okwesikhashana because since 26 September 2009 we are still homeless.

My home was destroyed, my belonging were stolen some were destroyed and my family was traumatized.

Police were helpless but we are still surviving because of God he never left us alone. Izinyembezi zethe azisoze zawela phansi, let them enjoy but one day is one day.

To all families and friends who are still in exile, those who are still homeless, those who lost their families and friends and bread winners who left their jobs and decide to go back emakhaya because of attack at Kennedy Road and because of people who thought bayazi kanti abazi ukuthi abazi, let us be united, strong and fight until our voices are heard.

We weep.

From: S’bu Zikode
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:34:08 +0000
To: Sindi Mkhize
Subject: Re: MEMORY OF ATTACK 26 SEPTEMBER 2009

You are amazing! You have not abandoned me not only for what I am but for what the nature makes of who I am. It has been your courage, your tears that flowed the whole week in weeping not only for what you had but for what you worked hard to have.

The God of the poor that carried us all through the shadow of all evil forces of capitalism shall never be defeated by thieves who destroy us in the name of development nor shall we allow the capitalists to reign upon us.

What they cannot take away from us is us. Our us is what makes us not only human in terms of blood and bones but also in terms of our values, principles and integrity to ourselves. Our us is not just to impress other but for all of us to learn and share from from each other.

Alutah,

S’bu. Zikode
Remaining homless in the hands of the bulling ANC.
Remaining umhlali

SACSIS: Keeping It Real

http://www.sacsis.org.za/site/article/1391

Keeping it Real

Richard Pithouse

The distance between the stated aspirations of a protagonist on the political stage and the realities of its actual practices can sometimes mark a genuine attempt at internal contestation. It would, for instance, be a good thing if a group of people in the ANC insisted that the party was seriously committed to the principle that every child has a full, equal and immediate right to an education that could nurture their talents and then backed this affirmation up with real action, including effective action against the people and interests within the party that are responsible for, and even profiting from, the education crisis. But when there is no real acknowledgement that stated aspirations mark out values and goals that are clearly different to those guiding the actions that are actually taken we are dealing with ideologies – ideas that legitimate rather than guide or question the exercise of power.  Continue reading →

Abahlali Members who were Displaced in September 2009 Still Homeless

Monday, 12 March 2012
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Abahlali Members who were Displaced in September 2009 Still Homeless

Two weeks ago IFP members fought with NFP members at Hostel 17 in Umlazi Township. That political violence left one person dead and it left some people homeless. The Minister of Safety and Security intervened to mediate between the two parties that were fighting. This is very good and is something which we welcome. We also acknowledge that the new Mayor of the eThekwini Municipality took the Umlazi violence into his attention and is working on it. However this activism of the Minister and the Mayor is raising so many questions.

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