Our Movement is Under Attack

Monday, 2 September 2013
Abahlali baseCato Crest Press Statement

Our Movement is Under Attack

The eThekwini Municipality's Land Invasion Unit has again demolished shacks and evicted residents in Cato Crest without a Court Order. This is despite the undertaking made before the Durban High Court that they will not demolish any shacks in Cato Crest pending the final court decision. They demolished on Sunday and again this today. This morning they demolished 15 shacks, 8 of them were the homes of people who where among those who secured an interim court order preventing the destruction of their homes. The few bullies running this municipality are rendering it a criminal municipality with no respect for the poor, for democracy or the rule the law.

Yesterday they said they were not finished with us. Today they still say they are not finished with us. They say that they will rule us whether we like it or not. They say that they will use all their power to force us to accept their rule. This is black power used in the same way as the white power of Dr Verwoed.

This morning ANC Councilor Mzimuni Ngiba called the ANC members in Cato Crest to a meeting at the local sport ground to plan and discuss this eviction. S’bu Zikode was the main subject in this meeting, just as Nkululeko Gwala was the main subject of the meeting called by the ANC in the area on the 26th of June. Gwala was assassinated on the same day.

Ngiba has declared war on Abahlali members. His comrades insist that they have fought and died for this country and that it is therefore their turn to rule even if that means that they must rule without regard for law.

In today's attack three people including women have been shot by municipal security with rubber bullets. Abahlali comrades have rushed them to hospital. "Engabe kanti sesiyabulawa ngempela uhulumeni wethu” “are we really being killed by our own government”, cried one woman.

The evictions in Cato Crest started as ethnic evictions. They are now political evictions.

The war on our movement is a war on democracy.

We urge the media to rush to Cato Crest now.

Contact:

Makwasa, Abahlali baseMjondolo member in Cato Crest on 071 8455214
Scelo, Abahlali baseMjondolo member in Cato Crest, 076 3903642/083 6654618
Ndabo Mzimela, Abahlali baseMjondolo Cato Crest Chairperso