Monthly Archives: February 2010

An Open Letter to Church Leaders in the United Kingdom

http://abmsolidaritygroup.blogspot.com/2010/02/open-letter-to-church-leaders-in-united.html

An Open Letter to Church Leaders in the United Kingdom
21 February 2010

Dear church leaders in the United Kingdom,

I would like to draw your attention to a situation of great injustice that is festering in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. In response to their campaigns for economic and social rights for shack dwellers, members of Abahlali baseMjondolo (Abahlali), a community movement based in the shack settlement of Kennedy Road, have been subjected to violent attacks, forced evictions and unjust court proceedings since September last year. The most worrying fact about these travesties is that they appear to have been conducted with the knowledge and tacit support of local authorities and structures of the governing party. This repression of a democratic organisation, brings back memories of the oppressive days of apartheid in the country.

The church, particularly the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, has been exemplary in its response to the injustice inflicted on Abahlali and its members. Rubin Phillip, the Bishop of Natal, was one of the first to speak out when the attacks occurred and has consistently done so up till today. Archbishop Thabo Cecil Makgoba endorsed one of Bishop Phillip’s first statements. Other South African churches, including the Methodist Church, the Catholic Church and numerous others have banded together to express their solidarity through organising prayer meetings outside the courts where proceedings – highly questionable in their fairness – are being brought against Abahlali members. Joint statements have also been issued under the South African Council of Churches and the Diakonia Council of Churches.

In Archbishop Rowan Williams’ address to Anglican leaders in South Africa during the TEAM Conference in 2007, he stressed that the in the Bible, justice requires that no-one be forgotten and no-one be invisible. Poor people in South Africa, disempowered as they are, are commonly forgotten and ‘made’ invisible by more affluent citizens and the global community. One sometimes wonders how the history of the church in this period will be written. If the church is to bear witness to our crucified Lord, it must indeed not only walk humbly, but also act justly and love mercy. I believe part of all this is speaking out against the injustices occurring in our world today.

Bishop Phillip, in a statement released shortly after the attacks, urged concerned people to convey their concerns to South African political leaders. Church leaders, it is my hope that all of you will be gracious enough to use your good offices and communicate to President Jacob Zuma your concerns on the matter, supporting the calls made by your fellow leaders in South Africa for justice to be served and an independent inquiry into the attacks made. I also hope you would consider either making your intervention public, or at least issuing a statement in this connection.

I believe this is of the utmost importance because, as one prominent theologian has stated, ‘if any one is deprived or diminished, something is wrong with everything in the Church.’

Yours sincerely in Christ,
Soo Tian Lee

P.S. I have compiled a short list of weblinks to the statements by church leaders referred to in this letter, as well as a couple of other background documents here: http://tinyurl.com/sa-links

Sikhula Sonke appalled by local ANC members in De Doorns call for a march to the refugee camp

Leave a reply

21 February 2010

Sikhula Sonke appalled by local ANC members in De Doorns call for a march to the refugee camp

Sikhula Sonke has been shocked when we, while busy setting up to stay in Stofland for the evening heard local ANC members who went around with a bakkie and loud hailer instigating residents of Stofland to march to the refugee camp on Tuesday 23 February where Zimbabweans will be asked to leave the country.
Another ANC member asked us why we want the Zimbabwe group to be reintegrated. Please see photo of the member attached. He informed us that as residents they were told that too many people are living in Stofland and that is why no houses has been build up to date. By allowing the Zimbabwean comrades back, it will literally mean no houses will be build. He refused to tell us who the informant was.

Sikhula Sonke members and leaders had to leave Stofland just before midnight when a group of youngsters of which one had a knife tried to be disruptive. Young children been used to be violent and in the case of the force removals of people in Stofland we heard that many young people were involved in this. Should our kids not be educated, are parents not seeing the opportunity of a brighter future for their kids, why are they encouraged to act like gangsters? We did not leave because we felt intimidated; we left to protect the women, men and children whom we went with. Our purpose of raising consciousness and educating people has not been defeated. Many people in Stofland indicated that they have no problem with the Zimbabwe comrades being reintegrated. It seems that people are brainwashed by a small group of people in Stofland.

We as South Africans have an obligation. Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and other countries were a safe place for many under apartheid. Is this how we repay our fellow brothers and sisters? This is a disgrace in the light of our dream that another world is possible.

We call on the National leadership of the ANC, the Department of Justice, and South African Human Rights Commission to intervene. The perpetrators must be arrested and removed from the community. Proper housing and infrastructure should be build for the residents in Stofland as well as the comrades from Zimbabwe.

Please join us at a press briefing on Monday 22 February 2010 at 12h00 at the Sikhula Sonke offices at 98 Bird Street, (Opposite Good Bargains) Stellenbosch 7599. The South African Human Rights Commission and member of the ANC have been asked to join the press briefing.

For more information contact:

Sikhula Sonke General Secretary Wendy Pekeur on 083 285 1729 or Sandra Hendricks at 021 8833180

Eye Witness News: Sikhula Sonke v ANC on xenophobia in De Doorns

Leave a reply

http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=33170

ANC denies knowledge of proposed march
Regan Thaw

De Doorns police said on Monday they had not received any requests from the ANC in the region to stage a protest march.

It is understood the party was planning a march to a safety site for foreigners in the town.

Hundreds of immigrants have been living at the site since late last year after they were displaced during xenophobic violence.

The ANC denied planning a march.

Farm workers union Sikhula Sonke said it learnt ANC members in the area wanted to march to the safety site.

The union claimed a member of the party was making inflammatory comments about foreigners in the area.

It is feared the march could spark xenophobic tensions.

Sonke alleged one of its officials was threatened recently by a group of youths, who were angry about the union’s activities in the nearby Stofland informal settlement and its efforts to help reintegrate immigrants into the community.

The local municipality said they had not received any requests from the ruling party to hold a march. It added the request would have to have been submitted a week ago.

Sikhula Sonke: 14 year old boy missing after attacks by 3 farmers 11 February 2010

Leave a reply

14 year old boy missing after attacks by 3 farmers 11 February 2010

12 February 2010
Sikhula Sonke Farmworkers Union

Eon Fortuin, the 14 year old boy who was attacked by three farmers has disappeared. The boy was taken to the police station on Tuesday 9 February; he appeared in Court the same day and according to Mr Blacky Swarts a captain at the Robertson police station told us that he was taken to the boy school in Ottery on Wednesday. Sikhula Sonke contacted the social worker at the school; who told us she heard that the boy was there, but that he disappeared on Wednesday 10 February. We believe that the boy was traumatised, by the ordeal, taken out of bed while sleeping, beaten till he was bleeding, tied like a dog and then he had to spend a night in jail and has appeared in Court without support from any family member.His grandmother last saw him when he was thrown on the bakkie. One of the foremen came back to fetch his clothes. Another worker alleged that he had to wash the bakkie which were full of blood. Several workers went to the police station and laid charges, no prosecutions happened yet. A person working at the Robertson Magistrates Court Mr. Theunis said that the boy appeared in Court on Tuesday for ill behavior. We also learned from the dockets at the police station that the accusation of a farm burglary was related to an incident which happened in January, but there was no evidence that linked the boy to the crime. So why are the police claiming he was arrested for theft. The farmer indicated that the boy was on the farm illegally and that he have no right to be there.

A memorandum was handed to the farmer which demanded the following:

1. A public apology to the family
2. Compensation to the family for the trauma and ordeal

We told the employer that the justice system will still take its course

We then went to the police station and demanded the following:

* That the 3 perpetrators be arrested
* The immediate dismissal of the police officers involved
* The establishment of a forum of stakeholders

1. The station superintendent (Mr. Alexander) agreed that disciplinary processes will be followed.
2. A forum is needed and that we’ll meet in the next week to set it up.
3. Once the boy’s statement are taken that arrests will be made

We are questioning the issue around the statement since the boy spends an entire night at the police station and several workers including the grand mother laid charges at the police station. We are also questioning the contradictory statements of Police officers and a court official Mr. Theunis and are now calling on the Independent Complaint Directorate to do an investigation.

Miss Fransiena Meyer, the mother of the child said that she was further surprise by the angle taken by the Boland Correspondent journalist from the Burger since its portraits the situation as if it is a criminal on the lose despite the fact that we clearly stated that no evidence was found against the boy. She also covers the assault and make it seems if the farmers were only treating him a bit rough. She further feels that this was one of the worst cases where the truth was twisted and very little homework was done by the correspondent. She feels that the media needs to be independent and it seems that there’s biasness towards a certain group of people.

Please join us for a press conference on Monday 15 February 2010 at 11h00 at the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) offices at Community House in Salt River.

“We can only loose our chains”

For more information contact:

Sikhula Sonke General Secretary Wendy Pekeur on 083 285 1729, COSATU Western Cape Secretary Mr. Tony Ehrenreicht on 0827733194 and Ms Fransiena Meyer (mother) at 0727581164