Chris Ndaliso
Durban – Forced removal of informal dwellers at Barcelona 2 informal settlement by eThekwini municipal anti-land invasion unit has prompted an urgent court interdict by Abahlali Basemjondolo.
The group has on numerous occasions interdicted the municipality to only have those interdicts contravened.
On Monday, Abahlali spokesperson Thapelo Mohapi, said the city evicted more people from in the Lamontville based Barcelona 2. Continue reading
Monday, 18 June 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Abahlali to Approach the Durban High Court for a Spoliation Order
“We are all amaMpondo!”
Abahlali baseMjondolo will this morning approach the Durban High Court on an urgent basis to apply for a Spoliation Order against the eThekwini Municipality. On Friday at about 10am the notorious eThekwini municipal Anti Land Invasion Unit descended on the Barcelona 2 ‘transit camp’ (amatini or government shacks) in Lamontville and violently and unlawfully evicted the residents from the disgraceful ‘transit camps’ that there were forcefully imposed on them seven years ago for the FIFA World Cup. Continue reading
Friday, 15 June 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Violent and Illegal Eviction Underway at the Barcelona 2 Transit Camp, Lamontville
Mayor Zandile Gumede has started her ‘dealing’ with Abahlali
This morning at around 10:00 a.m. the Anti-Land Invasion Unit, accompanied by heavily armed security guards, attacked the Barcelona 2 ‘Transit Camp’ in Lamontville. It is a short walk from where Sibonelo Mpeku, our chairperson in the Sisonke Village land occupation, was kidnapped and murdered on 19 November last year. Continue reading
Richard Pithouse, Mail & Guardian
The political assassination is not a phenomenon that is restricted to KwaZulu-Natal. But there is no doubt that it is overwhelmingly concentrated in that province. Until the establishment of the Moerane commission in October 2016, the scale of political violence in the province received very little national media attention, and was not generally understood to be a national crisis.
Academics, activists and journalists elsewhere in the country seldom grasped just how routine death threats, armed intimidation and murder had become in KwaZulu-Natal, or how brazenly local power- brokers, such as ward councillors, police officers and business interests — often entwined in mutually enabling forms of gangsterism — participated in the organisation of local forms of violent despotism. Continue reading
Daniel Friedman, The Citizen
Social movement Abahlali, which focuses on the rights of shack-dwellers and is involved in land protests and occupations, has accused the ANC in eThekwini of threatening its members with violence.
According to a statement released by the organisation, the mayor and chief whip made threatening statements at the executive committee meeting of the eThekwini Municipality on Tuesday, June 12. Continue reading
Thursday, 14 June 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Serious Threats Made Against our Movement by Leaders in the eThekwini ANC
At the Executive Committee meeting of the eThekwini Municipality on Tuesday, 12 June, the Mayor and the Chief Whip made disturbingly undemocratic, authoritarian and threatening statements about our movement, and about S’bu Zikode. In light of our past experiences, and the current climate of intimidation and violence in KwaZulu-Natal, which includes the ongoing murder of our leaders, we take these threats very seriously. We are sending out an urgent call for solidarity, and for urgent action to be taken against the senior leaders in eThekwini ANC who are a serious threat to democracy, and our safety. Continue reading
Steven Friedman, Business Day
Will those of us who are free to speak ever hear those who are not?
Last weekend, the shack dweller movement Abahlali baseMjondolo buried S’fiso Ngcobo, who was chair of its branch at eKukhayeni outside Durban. Ngcobo was shot dead a week ago. Another Abahlali member, Ndumiso Mnguni, was shot and wounded. Five Abahlali activists have been murdered in the past eight months. Continue reading
A full page article on S’bu Zikode, published in the Sunday Times, on 3 June 2018. S’bu was interviewed by the journalist at the funeral for S’fiso Ngcobo.
Sunday Times profile in S’bu Zikode
Friday, 1 June 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
New Abahlali branch to be named in honour of S’fiso Ngcobo
Yesterday Abahlali baseMjondolo held a powerful memorial service at eKukhanyeni in honour of our comrade Sifiso Ngcobo. More than 900 comrades, all showing real courage, attended the memorial.
In his address to the community of eKukhanyeni the Deputy Chairperson said that he is prepared to continue Comrade Ngcobo’s work. He gave an assurance that he will not be threatened by cowards who come and kill at night. People took courage from his bravery. The struggle will continue in eKukhanyeni, and around the country. Despite all the lives lost at the hands of the Anti-Land Invasion Unit, the police and the izinkabi over the years our movement has continued to grow, and to build democratic people’s power in struggle. We will continue to build our movement, and our power, and to struggle for land and dignity. Continue reading
Motala Heights: Child shot by Land Invasion Unit