An investigation into the volatile situation at eKhenana Informal Settlement in Cato Manor, Kwa-Zulu Natal
Independent Accredited Monitor Report prepared by Jared Sacks
Submitted to the South African Human Rights Commission on 27 October 2021
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Repression continues in eKhenana as the homes of Maphiwe Gasela and Phumelele Mkhize are burnt to ashes
The alliance of the Cato Manor police, the local ANC and the eThekwini Municipality against the eKhenana Commune has taken another ugly turn. Last night the homes of Maphiwe Gasela and Phumelele Mkhize were burnt. Like all the other comrades from eKhenana who have been granted bail after arrest on bogus charges their bail conditions prohibit them from returning to Cato Manor, where eKhenana is located, so their homes were not occupied at the time of the attack. Continue reading
Monday, 25 October 2021
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
The attack on the eKhenana land occupation continues with the assault of women and more arrests
On Saturday at about 10am ANC thugs molested and assaulted Phumelele Mkhize, Snothando Mkhize, Nomlindelo Madlala and Nomfundo Mhlongo at the eKhenena occupation. The police came and instead of arresting the ANC thugs they arrested two of the women that they had attacked: Phumelele Mkhize and Maphiwe Gasela. Maphiwe has previously been arrested and imprisoned on false charges that were finally dropped on 4 October. The two were charged with assault in the same matter that Nokuthula Mabaso, Sindiswa Ngcobo and Thozama Mazwi were arrested and charged for earlier this month. Continue reading
Friday, 22 October 2021
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
The ongoing attack on the eKhenana Commune is being planned at a high level
A total of nine comrades have now been arrested on trumped up charges in the latest wave of repression against the eKhenana Commune. Six have already had all charges withdrawn. Two of the six spent two weeks in prison and the other four spent six months in prison. Yesterday Nokuthula Mabaso, Thozama Mazwi and Sindiswa Ngcobo were released on bail after spending two weeks in Westville prison.
The police are currently in eKhenana. They say that they are there to make more arrests. Continue reading
Statement of Solidarity from the Kairos Center to Abahlali baseMjondolo
The Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice in the United States stands in solidarity with Abahlali baseMjondolo in South Africa as they struggle for the fundamental rights to land, housing, and dignity. We celebrate the visionary members and leaders of Abahlali’s shack dwellers movement and decry their continued political persecution.
For over a decade, the network of poor people’s organizations and religious communities that make up Kairos have learned from the experiences of Abahlali. We have watched with awe and admiration the development of a nationwide shackdweller’s movement, uniting leaders in disparate communities and contributing invaluably to the struggles of the poor and dispossessed in South Africa, Africa, and the world. This includes Abahlali’s principled support of other poor people’s movements, including here in the United States, where they have stood with and encouraged our young and growing movement. Continue reading
Continued political persecution
On Friday 8 October 2021, the South African police arrested three members of Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM), the social movement of shack dwellers in South Africa. Nokuthula Mabaso, Thozama Mazwi and Sindiswa Ngcobo are all prominent leaders of the eKhenana Commune in Cato Crest, Durban, South Africa, a grassroots project of reclaiming land, housing and dignity through collective political organisation of the most effected.
All three were arrested on false and trumped up charges that are clearly connected to a longstanding political persecution campaign. These arrests follow a six month legal battle to clear the names of Lindokuhle Mnguni, Landu Tshazi and Ayanda Ngila who had spent the better half of 2021 in a crowded Durban prison accused of fabricated crimes. This also follows a four month battle to clear the names of AbM Deputy President Mqapheli George Bonono, the eKhenana branch secretary Maphiwe Gasela and Siniko Miya. All six activists targeted over the last year have played a protagonistic role in conceptualising, building and defending the eKhenana Commune – a place of hope that produces life, nourishment and livelihood. Continue reading
The repression of the eKhenana settlement must stop now
The eKhenana settlement in Cato Manor, Durban, is an inspiring model of what can be achieved by democratic forms of self-organisation. It has a farm, a school, a poetry project and more. Its achievements have received significant media coverage in South Africa and sustained interest and solidarity from abroad from organisations such as the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra (MST), the movement of the landless in Brazil which is rooted in the precepts of liberation theology. Continue reading
Solidarity with the eKhenana (Canaan) land occupation in South Africa
In the midst of a serious economic and social crisis in South Africa, including youth unemployment at just under 75% and endemic hunger, the State authorities have targeted the 109 families of the eKhenana (Canaan) land occupation and settlement. In 2018 two hectares of land were occupied and held in the face of regular armed attacks from the state. The occupation was developed into a working commune and a road, homes, water and electricity systems, a recreation centre built, a co-operative farm developed a political school established and named in honour of Frantz Fanon. The occupation has faced armed attacks and its leaders have been arrested and spent time in prison on false charges. Continue reading
Monday, 11 October 2021
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
The repression of Abahlali in eKhenana continues but the Commune remains
The criminal justice system – including the police and the prosecuting authority – continues to be misused by the ANC to repress our movement. Just under two weeks ago three of our comrades from the eKhenana Commune – Lindokuhle Mnguni, Landu Tshazi and Ayanda Ngila – were released from prison after being held for six months on bogus charges and repeatedly denied bail. A week ago, all charges were dropped against Mqapheli Bonono, Maphiwe Gasela and Siniko Miya, all of whom are also participants in the Commune. Miya had spent six months in prison while Bonono and Gasela were granted bail after two weeks in prison. Both cases were proven to be trumped up and the arrests and imprisonment to have been based on lies by the state witnesses. Continue reading
4 October 2021
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
All Charges Dropped Against Mqapheli Bonono, Maphiwe Gasela and Siniko Miya!
Moments ago, on the 16th anniversary of the founding of our movement, the farcical charges of conspiracy to murder brought against Mqapheli Bonono, Maphiwe Gasela and Siniko Miya were, as expected, dropped in the Durban Magistrates Court.
In March this year Lindokuhle Mnguni, Landu Tshazi and Ayanda Ngila, all leaders in the eKhenana occupation and its development into an impressive working commune, were arrested on what have now been shown to have been trumped up charges of murder. Shortly after their arrest Bonono, acting as a responsible leader, called an open meeting, held at the Diakonia Council of Churches, to establish the facts of what had happened. After this meeting he, Gasela and Miya were arrested and charged with planning a conspiracy at this meeting, a conspiracy to murder a witness against Mnguni, Tshazi and Ngila. Continue reading