February 9, 2006 11:28 AM

Abahlali baseMjondolo applied for legal permission to march on the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal on the 20th of February. They have just been informed, by telephone, that the march will not be allowed to go ahead. They have requested Sutcliffe to put this in writing so that it can be formally contested. There has already been something of a small but militant protest at Sutcliffe’s verbal banning and some people are optimistic that the police’s shock at this display of force will produce a shift.

March organisers estimate that around 20 000 people will participate in this march. Two taxi associations are supporting the march but that still means that the bulk of the people will have to walk into town. People have made it clear that they are willing to do that. The initial response is that, as when Sutcliffe illegally and unconstituionally banned the Foreman Road march scheduled for 14 September 2005, people will again march in defiance of Sutcliffe’s ban. But meetings will need to be held in each settlement before a collective decision is arrived at.

Richard