Business Day: Amnesty backs calls for Kennedy Road violence probe

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=89957

Amnesty backs calls for Kennedy Road violence probe
FRANNY RABKIN
Published: 2009/12/21 07:15:52 AM

HUMAN rights organisation Amnesty International has thrown its weight behind the call for an independent commission of inquiry into September’s violence in KwaZulu-Natal’s Kennedy Road informal settlement.

On September 25, about 40 men carrying assegais, knobkerries, spears and guns attacked the settlement during a youth camp held by the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement, a shack- dwellers’ organisation. Two people were killed in the attack.

The organisation said yesterday it “deplores the continuing failure of the South African authorities” to investigate the human rights abuses at Kennedy Road “impartially and fully”. Abahlali has accused local African National Congress (ANC) structures and the police of being complicit in the attacks and then going on to arrest Abahlali leaders for the violence, instead of the real perpetrators.

Thirteen people were arrested following the attacks. Some have been released on bail but five will spend Christmas in prison after the prosecutor and investigating officer did not appear in court at the latest bail hearing.

But Bhekisisa Mncube, spokesman for transport, community safety and liaison MEC Willies Mchunu, said on Friday the allegation of ANC involvement was “total rubbish”. He questioned why Amnesty International had not called for a commission of inquiry into more than 30 deaths in recent taxi violence in Nongoma and Umlazi in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mncube said the police “have done all they could in the complaints at Kennedy Road”. He said there had been a full probe by an independent police task team and that people had been arrested.

Mncube said those arrested were “in court and would be found guilty or not guilty” and he asked whether Amnesty was questioning SA’s judicial system.

Abahlali said it was targeted by the ANC because it had exposed corruption at local government level, especially in the allocation of government housing.

This was once again dismissed by Mncube, who said there was no evidence of corruption, despite the best efforts of the media to find it.

Abahlali, other civil society organisations and now Amnesty want an independent inquiry — chaired by former chief justice Pius Langa.

Amnesty said that according to its own inquiries, there had been a “significant” delay in the police’s response when Abahlali members called for help on September 25 and that the armed men had been looking for specific individuals, who were all Abahlali members.

Amnesty was also concerned about the lack of arrests connected with the mob that it said burnt down the homes of the arrested Abahlali supporters on September 27.

But Mncube said the government had gone to the Kennedy Road settlement in search of the gutted shacks. “We couldn’t find them. We’ve asked these people, please bring evidence to us. We’ll take it to the law enforcement agencies. No one has come forward,” he said.

rabkinf@bdfm.co.za