1 February 2023
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Maphiwe Gasela, Siniko Miya and Landu Tshazi granted bail. Ntokozo Ngubane arrested.
Yesterday Maphiwe Gasela, Siniko Miya and Landu Tshazi were finally granted bail in the Durban Magistrate’s Court.
They have all previously been arrested on bogus charges, been denied bailed and kept in the notorious Westville Prison for more than six months before the charges were dropped. Continue reading
11 January 2023
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Abahlali condemns the attack on democracy in Brazil
Following the model of the fascists in the United States the Brazilian fascists attacked the presidential palace, the presidential offices, the Supreme Federal Court building and the offices of the National Congress in Brasília on 8 January.
This was a direct attack on democracy, an attack supported by agri-business, mining companies, some actors in the military and the police, and the extremists in the political base of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Continue reading
1 January 2023
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Today We Celebrate the Inauguration of Lula da Silva
Today Lula Da Silva will be inaugurated as the president of the Brazil.
New Year’s Day is always a time to recommit to the future. For our movement that means renewing our commitment to the universal struggle to defend human dignity against all forms of oppression.
New Year’s Day is also a time to remember the struggles of the past. The Haitian Revolution against slavery triumphed on 1 January 1804, and the Cuban Revolution triumphed on 1 January 1959. The Zapatista uprising in Mexico, which led to the creation of rural communes, was announced on 1 January 1994. Continue reading
23 December 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Once again justice is delayed and denied for our comrades
The attempt by the local ANC – working with the police, private security, the anti-land invasion unit and forces within the prosecuting authority – to destroy the eKhenana Commune has been relentless. The attacks on the Commune have included assassinations, assaults, illegal and violent evictions, vandalism, arson, repeated arrests on bogus charges and continual online slander from fake Facebook accounts, including two fake Facebook pages. Continue reading
Friday, 02 December 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Celebrating Award for the eKhenana Commune
The eKhenana Commune continues to receive International recognition. On Sunday we will celebrate with Abahlali baseKhenana.
This year three comrades have given their lives for the eKhenana Commune, for occupying land and building a democratic community organised in accordance with progressive principles on issues like gender, xenophobia, sharing labour and refusing the commodification of land. They have worked to build food sovereignty, a co-operatively managed store, a political school and poetry, theatre and choir projects. Continue reading
27 November 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Political Arrests Continue in eKhenana
On 17 November, just a day after the Universal Periodic Review of South Africa by the United Nations, in which the South African government was directly challenged by a number of countries on the repression of our movement, three of our comrades were arrested on bogus charges.
During the Universal Periodic Review the South African state was called to account for the twenty two members of our movement who have been killed during the course of our struggle. Mary Lawlor, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, has made a number of public statements expressing her profound concern. Continue reading
Friday, 25 November 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
16 Days of Activism
To be in movement means to be in permanent struggle, every day, every week, every year. For us this includes working to build democratic women’s power in struggle and in movement. However, it is important for our movement to connect to annual national campaigns when they align with our goals.
The Abahlali baseMjondolo Women’s League will hold an event in support of the 16 Days of Activism campaign on 27 November 2022 at Dennis Hurley Centre. The programme is starting at 9:00am and will run to 15:00 pm. Continue reading
Saturday, 12 November 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
The Norwegian ambassador will visit eKhenena today
This morning Saturday, 12 November, the Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa will visit the eKhenana Commune. Abahlali will give the Ambassador a warm welcome to the Commune.
We have faced waves of different kinds of repression since our movement was formed, but this year has been the most devastating with four of our leaders being killed in the struggle for land, housing and dignity. Continue reading
31 October 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Today we celebrate with our comrades in the MST!
The people have Brazil have spoken.
Lula da Silva from the Workers Party (PT) has been elected to be the president of Brazil again. The results were announced yesterday, 30 October 2022. This comes after Lula had endured suffering from the far-right government led by Jair Bolsonaro who imprisoned Lula. Continue reading
Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement
Building International Pressure Against Repression
We have lost four comrades this year. One was murdered by a masked police officer and the other three were murdered by the izinkabi. We have lost a total of twenty-four comrades since our movement was founded on 4 October 2005.
The attack on our movement has moved the world.
We have received solidarity from movements and organisations across the Global South, and across Africa. Last week our president, S’bu Zikode, our Deputy President, Mqapheli Bonono, and our General Secretary, Thapelo Mohapi, undertook a mission to Europe to build solidarity. Continue reading