http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=86059

Slum dwellers’ body wants Langa to lead attack probe

WILSON JOHWA
Published: 2009/11/05 06:24:08 AM

FORMER chief justice Pius Langa is among the eminent persons a slum dwellers’ association would like to lead an independent inquiry into the attack on a Durban informal settlement in which two people were killed six weeks ago.

Scores of people were also injured on September 26 when about 40 armed men struck at the Kennedy Road informal settlement, which is associated with Abahlali baseMjondolo, a body claiming a membership of 50000 in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. The incident was thought to be politically motivated.

“Our side of the story has not been listened to,” said Sbu Zikode yesterday, at a seminar arranged by the Centre for the Study of Democracy.

Thirteen people, arrested in connection with the attacks, made their sixth court appearance yesterday. The matter was adjourned to November 18.

But Abahlali, which blames the local leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) for the attacks, said those arrested were not the real perpetrators.

Zikode blamed MEC for safety and community liaison Willies Mchunu, saying Abahlali had been at the forefront of exposing local government corruption, especially in the allocation of housing.

Zikode also alleged that ANC members were bussed to the hearings at each court appearance of the 13. He asked what the ANC, as a political party, had to do with a criminal matter. He also said an ANC branch was formed days after the attacks. “It was the ultimate goal — you chase Abahlali, you replace their offices with a local ANC structure.”

But ANC provincial spokeswoman Nomfundo Mcetywa dismissed all the allegations, saying they were an old story, dating back about two years. “For some strange reason, I don’t know what they have against the ANC,” she said.

The ANC had an open-door policy, but Abahlali refused to attend meetings arranged by Mchunu or by Mike Mabuyakhulu, previously MEC for local government and housing. “People have been arrested, I don’t know why they say it’s the ANC,” said Mcetywa.

Zikode said Abahlali had not been invited to the task team formed to look into the attacks. “The task team that was set up was only made up of local ANC members,” he said. Last month Abahlali scored a Constitutional Court victory against the province’s Slums Act that would have made evictions easier.

Zikode said Abahlali would like an independent commission of inquiry, possibly with Langa at the helm. “We believe that if he was to chair that commission it would be open, transparent and just.”

The South Africa director of Human Rights Watch, Sipho Mthathi, also called for an independent investigation, saying the incident raised more questions than answers. “We feel that larger investigations need to take place,” she said.

johwaw@bdfm.co.za