20 July 2012

PRESS STATEMENT: DLF CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY WITH THE OCCUPATION OF THE
ETHEKWINI MUNICIPAL OFFICE IN UMLAZI

In full solidarity with the organised and fighting community of the
Zakheleni shack settlement (in Ward 88 in Umlazi), the Democratic Left
Front (DLF) calls on all other poor communities, trade unions, people’s
organisations and activists in eThekwini to support the ongoing occupation
of municipal offices in Umlazi by the community. We call on progressive
organisations to send activists to be part of the occupation. We call for
support of the popular education activities taking place at the occupation.
We call for material support (food, tents, blankets and other basics) to
provide subsistence to the Zakheleni activists leading the occupation. We
call for support for the weekly People’s Assembly held at 11h00 every
Sunday. This Sunday’s People’s Assembly will prepare for the community
meeting with the eThekwini municipality planned for Monday next week.

The Zakheleni occupation has been ongoing since the beginning of last week.
Despite death threats and attacks by a local hit-squad, the community
daringly expressed their demands including that the useless ANC local ward
councilor, Nomzamo Mkhize, must be removed from her elected position.
Several comrades have also been threatened by this hit squad. Some have
been shot at and physically attacked. The UPM and the AbM are following up
these cases. This has included a Mandela Day protest which forced the
police to arrest some of the accused members of the hit squad. For the past
seven days of the occupation, many people have continued to ask Mkhize for
help and service. She has failed to respond to these requests. She is
disrespectful and people are asked to produce ANC membership cards in order
to get assistance from her.

At the various community assemblies held as part of the occupation, the
people of Zakheleni have resolved that “The Councillor’s office shall be
closed and a new People’s Office will be opened”. The community has also
consistently argued that “We are not interested in party political feuds,
but we are part society and all we need is development”.

The DLF also salutes the Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM) and Abahlali
BaseMijondolo (AbM) for their effective organisation and leadership of the
Zakheleni community struggle. To add support political and organisational
support to the occupation, representatives of DLF-affiliated social
movements in Gauteng joined the occupation on Tuesday. These comrades
include Simphiwe Zwane (elected councilor representing the Operation
Khanyisa Movement in the City of Joburg, Siyabulela Faku (from the Vaal
Community Assembly), General Alfred Moyo (from the Makause Community
Development Forum) and Abraham Molati (from the Zandspruit Democratic Left
Society). The DLF is made up of various community organisations, social
movements, left groups and individual activists all united to build a broad
anti-capitalist front of solidarity, movement-building and struggle to win
poor and working people’s demands. We are united on struggles for universal
access to decommodified basic services, an end to unemployment, end to the
violence against women, and ecological justice.

*ENDS*

FOR COMMENTS, CONTACT:

Simphiwe Zwane (Operation Khanyisa Movement & Gauteng DLF) –

China Ngubane (DLF) – 072 651 9790

Bheki Buthelezi (UPM & DLF) – 072 639 9893

Mazibuko K. Jara (DLF) – 083 651 0271