Abahlali to Launch a Branch in Marianridge

29 September 2017

Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA. Press statement

 Abahlali to Launch a Branch in Marianridge

We will launch a new branch in New City, Marianridge, tomorrow, 30 September 2017, at 10:00 a.m. We currently have 45 branches in good standing. New City will become our 46^th branch in good standing with around 350 new members. We are currently undertaking a membership audit. Members in good standing have now been counted in 18 branches and the number of members in good standing countered so far is 28 470. 

Our members have faced a lot of repression from the Anti-Land Invasions Unit in the New City occupation. It is one of the occupations where the eThekwini Municipality continued to demolish people’s homes even though when there was an interim interdict which prevents them from evicting people illegally.

Tomorrow, the community will be celebrating the fact that they have won the land despite a long oppression from the municipality. Today the families are united and happy that they have settled and the municipality will no longer bother them. Land is won by occupation and resistance. Inkani is the route to the land.

When ever we launch a new branch we begin with political education and discussion. The political education emphasises on what we call ‘Living Politics’ also known as Ubuhlalism which is our ideology. Our politic is a simply one which an ordinary person can understand. It speak about the fact that people are poor and are living in shameful condition where they do not have electricity water and they do not even have water. It is a politic that speaks about the fact the we do not have land. It speaks about the fact that we remain poor when there is so much wealth. It speaks about the fact that we do not have land and that our struggles are repressed even though we have a black government in a so-called democracy.

Our political education and discussion also focuses on the politics of the left and what that means in South Africa and globally. It speaks about the need to build the democratic power of the oppressed from the left and from below. It speaks about the need to overcome capitalism.

We remain committed in the fight for the right to city. We remain committed to fight for land for the poor. The social value of land must come before its commercial value. We reman committed to build democratic force from below by the self-organisation of the oppressed.

We remain committed to internationalism and we are, therefore, also in solidarity with the people of Rohingya people who are under brutal attack in Myanmar. An injury to one is an injury to all.

Thapelo Mohapi 072 072 0686

Mqapheli Bonono 073 067 3274

Blessing Izile Nyuswa 084 695 3205