18 October 2014
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement

The ANC and SACP are Building Shacks in the Marikana Land Occupation with the Permission of the Ward Councillor and Municipal Security Guards

 
About twenty men, members of the ANC and the SACP, are building shacks right now in troubled Cato Crest in Ward 101. They are building their shacks in a piece of land that has been left vacant in the Marikana Land Occupation in order to build a community hall.

 
The men who are building shacks on this land said that the local ANC councillor Mzimuni Ngibi has given them permission to build the shacks. This has been confirmed by the security guards who are now placed in the settlement to guard against further land occupation by Abahlali. The security guards came and negotiated with the men and the councillor was then called to confirm that his comrades have the right to build.

 
We would be happy if everyone who is desperate for housing was allowed to build but only the ANC is allowed to build. The Land Invasion Unit and its law enforcement do not apply to ANC but only to people who are non-ANC. The same security guards have demolished several shacks built by Abahlali but today they smile while negotiating with the rulers of this country.
We can safely say land occupation is only permitted to ANC and SACP members in Durban. When we occupy land we are called criminals and the third force. When the ANC and SACP occupy land in order to try and weaken or take over a land occupation that they have not been able to destroy via all kinds of intimidation including illegal eviction, assault, shooting, wrongful arrest, torture and assassination they are given the full support of the state’s armed power.

 
The media can rush to Cato Crest now to witness how the Durban ANC really rules this city.
Contact:

Ndabo Mzimela 063 0424607
Khayakazi 078 1795239