Families who were evicted from Cato Crest in Durban have cleared space in a nearby forest to build themselves Ekhenana – a “Place of Hope”. Though they have been evicted several times they say they are prepared to “die” for their new homes.
The last eviction was on Tuesday and soon after the land invasion unit had left, the residents quickly put up their homes again. Continue reading
Monday, 5 November 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Serious Factual Errors in Mail & Guardian Article
As everybody knows our movement has been subject to sustained violence, including assassinations by the izinkabi and murders by the police, municipal security and the Anti-land Invasion Unit. On 8 October we marched, in our thousands, against political violence.
We are not the only organisation that is subject to political violence in KwaZulu-Natal. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, the South African Communist Party and various political parties, including the ruling party have all had their members assassinated. Most of the people who have been killed are ANC leaders who have been killed on the orders of other ANC leaders. Continue reading
The London Review of Books Blog
The last time I was in South Africa, in 2015, I met with members of Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM), an organisation of informally housed people, based mainly in Durban and the surrounding KwaZulu-Natal region. The group’s name means ‘Shack Dwellers’. I was added to their mailing list.
In the last few months the tone of AbM’s updates has become increasingly urgent, as the violence of the state’s response to the movement seems to have intensified. On 22 May, a group of unknown men ambushed and shot dead S’fiso Ngcobo, a branch chairperson in the west Durban suburb of Marianhill. AbM blame the murder on a local ANC councillor, who they say had previously made threats to Ngcobo. ‘Under the rule of the ANC,’ AbM said, ‘the price for land and dignity continues to be paid in blood.’ According to a letter that AbM sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa in June, Ngcobo was the 16th AbM activist murdered since 2009. Continue reading
Monday, 5 November 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Factual Errors in Mail & Guardian Article
As everybody knows our movement has been subject to sustained violence, including assassinations by the izinkabi and murders by the police, municipal security and the Anti-land Invasion Unit. On 8 October we marched, in our thousands, against political violence.
We are not the only organisation that is subject to political violence in KwaZulu-Natal. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, the South African Communist Party and various political parties, including the ruling party have all had their members assassinated. Most of the people who have been killed are ANC leaders who have been killed on the orders of other ANC leaders. Continue reading
Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Solidarity with our Comrades in Brazil
For a number of years our movement has enjoyed close relationships with various movements in the left in South America. This has included the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra (MST), known in English as the Landless Workers’ Movement, in Brazil. Many of our comrades have spent a lot of time with the MST in Brazil.
We have also been pleased to build a relationship with Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Teto (MTST), known in English as the Homeless Workers Movement, also from Brazil. This year we had the honour of hosting comrades from the MTST in Durban. Continue reading
23 October 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Shack fires are our daily lives
When you live in a shack in this country you are considered to be someone who cannot think. Your dignity is not recognised. You are left to live with the rats and the floods. You are left to burn. Your life does not count as a human life.
Almost 25 years after apartheid we are still condemned to indignity. We are still forced to live like pigs in the mud. We are still sentenced to die in the fires. When we refuse indignity and stand up for our humanity we continue to face arrest, assault, torture and assassination. Continue reading
Sunday 14 October 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Bahlali welcome S’bu Zikode back to umzabalazo
On Monday more than 5 000 comrades marched from Curries Fountain to the Durban City Hall to protest against the repression of our movement, including ongoing threats and assassinations. It was made very clear that the ANC is responsible for this repression. After months underground S’bu Zikode participated in the march and addressed the gathering outside the City Hall. He has made it clear that he would rather perish than bow to an abusive state. Continue reading
Friday, 5 October 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Abahlali to march against state repression, threats and assassinations
On Monday 8 October Abahlali baseMjondolo will march against repression in Durban. There will be solidarity protests in Cape Town, Johannesburg and New York.
Since our movement was founded in 2005 we have faced waves of repression including assault, arrest, torture in police custody, organised campaigns of slander, the destruction of our homes, death threats, the murder of our members during protests and evictions, and the targeted assassination of our leaders. The price for land and dignity has been paid in blood. Continue reading
05 October 2018
BY LWANDILE BHENGU
Chanting “Down with Zandile Gumede‚ down”‚ hundreds of Abahlali BaseMjondolo members took part in a peaceful march over being neglected by the eThekwini municipality and mayor‚ Gumede. Continue reading