The Norwegian ambassador will visit eKhenena today

Saturday, 12 November 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement

The Norwegian ambassador will visit eKhenena today

This morning Saturday, 12 November, the Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa will visit the eKhenana Commune. Abahlali will give the Ambassador a warm welcome to the Commune.

We have faced waves of different kinds of repression since our movement was formed, but this year has been the most devastating with four of our leaders being killed in the struggle for land, housing and dignity.

It is almost three months since the murder of Lindokuhle Mnguni and there have been no arrests. Gun cartridges were picked up by the police, CCTV footage showing the murderers was handed over to the police and potential witnesses were interviewed but nobody has been arrested. We have still not heard a word from the police minister or Provincial Police Commissioner.

The three suspects of the Ngubane family remain in custody for the murders of Ayanda Ngila and Nokuthula Mabaso. Nobody has been arrested for the murder of Siyabonga Manqele at the eNkanini Occupation by masked police officers.

The movement has done all we could in terms of exposing the failure of the state to protect our leaders from izinkabi. We have reported these killings to many institutions that are supposed to be guarding our constitutional democracy with little or no action in response. The Director of Public Prosecutions has been informed. The South African Human Rights Commission has been informed. The Minister of Police has been informed but he has never shown any interest when we have reported that the lives of poor black people have been vandalised. The president of the Republic was also informed and never did anything, even after the Archbishop of Cape Town recently made a public appeal to the president.

We have always considered solidarity as our strength when we are faced with repression, and we have always considered solidarity as our duty when comrades elsewhere in the world are under attack. Internationalism is a key principle of our movement, and grassroots diplomacy is an important tool in our struggle.

We have recently embarked on an international solidarity tour. In this tour we have met a number of ambassadors and diplomats, and addressed meetings at the EU and the UN. We have met an EU delegation in South Africa. We have also met the United Nation Office of the High Commissioner. Our solidarity campaign is beginning to bear fruits.

The visit of the Norwegian Ambassador marks the first visit of such a high profile government official to visit eKhenana Commune. We are expecting more ambassadors from other countries to visit the Commune. Not all ambassadors will remain in silence to protect a fake diplomatic relationship with the government of South Africa while the blood of the poor flows.

Abahlali salutes the courage that has been displayed by the ambassador.

We have built strong connections with comrades across Scandinavia and, of course, we all know how the left in Scandinavia played such an important role in supporting the struggle against apartheid.

The ambassador will also visit our New City branch, to see the work of Abahlali in our effort to build better communities. The ambassador will visit Abahlali offices and meet with the leadership before heading to the two occupations.

We note that Cyril Ramaphosa has never bothered to visit eKhenena, or any of the occupations where our leaders have been assassinated. His silence tells us all we need to know about the ANC.

We hope the South African authorities can come to their senses and protect the lives of people in eKhenana and elsewhere.

We are very encouraged by the perseverance of the community of eKhenana. The communal projects have all been re-established. Yesterday a long held ambition for the commune was realised when we were able to install solar powered electricity, this is electricity that will do less harm to the world and that will be democratically controlled by the community rather than centrally controlled by a violent and corrupt state.

Contact:

Thapelo Mohapi 084 576 5117
Busisiwe Diko 060 305 8224
S’bu. Zikode 083 547 0474