Category Archives: Ashraf Cassiem

Transitory Citizens: Contentious Housing Practices in Contemporary South Africa

This article examines the informal housing practices that the urban poor use to construct, transform, and access citizenship in contemporary South Africa. Following the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, the provision of formalized housing for the urban poor has become a key metric for ‘non-racial’ political inclusion and the desegregation of apartheid cities. Yet, shack settlements—commemorated in liberation histories as apartheid-era battlegrounds—have been reclassified as ‘slums’, zones that are earmarked for clearance or development. Evictions from shack settlements to government emergency camps have been justified under the liberal logic of expanding housing rights tied to citizenship. I argue that the informal housing practices make visible the methods of managing ‘slum’ populations, as well as an emerging living politics in South African cities.

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Transitory Citizens

Filmtour When The Mountain Meets Its Shadow/Im Schatten des Tafelberges

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Filmtour When The Mountain Meets Its Shadow/Im Schatten des Tafelberges
26 03 2010

Preview-Filmscreening in Anwesenheit der Protagonisten Ashraf Cassiem und Mncedisi Twalo aus Kapstadt und der Filmemacher mit anschließender Diskussion

Im Schatten des Tafelberges
Kapstadt, Südafrika 2009.

In kaum einer anderen Stadt der Welt liegen Armut und Reichtum so dicht beieinander wie am Kap der guten Hoffnung. Der Dokumentarfilm When the Mountain meets its Shadow erzählt die Geschichten von Ashraf, Mne, Zoliswa und Arnold, die in den Armenvierteln rund um Kapstadt auf unterschiedliche Art und Weise ums Überleben kämpfen. Ashraf und Mne von der Anti Eviction Campaign setzten sich täglich in den Townships gegen Zwangsräumungen und Wassersperrungen ein. Zoliswa, eine alleinerziehende Mutter, sucht eine neue Stelle als Hausangestellte und Arnold macht eine Ausbildung zum bewaffneten Wachmann in der boomenden Sicherheitsindustrie. Als die Stadtverwaltung eine komplette Armensiedlung räumen lassen will, werden Ashraf und sein Freund Mne mit ihren eigenen unverarbeiteten Erlebnissen aus der Zeit der Apartheid konfrontiert …

Preview Screenings with Ashraf Cassiem and Mncedisi Twalo from the Anti Eviction Campaign Cape Town and the filmmakers

English:

When the Mountain meets its Shadow
Cape Town, South Africa

In hardly any other city of the world can poverty and wealth be found as close together. When the mountain meets ist shadow tells the stories of Ashraf, Mne, Zoliswa and Arnold, who, each in their own way, fight for survival in the informal settlements around Cape Town. While Ashraf and his friend Mne from the Anti Eviction Campaign fight against evictions, water- and electricity cut-offs in the townships, Zoliswa and Arnold put their trust in their ability to work. Zoliswa, a single mother, is looking for a new position as a cleaner and Arnold trains as an armed guard to work in the booming security industry. When the city council wants to clear an entire informal settlement, Ashraf and his friend Mne are confronted with their own, undigested experiences from the apartheid years …

– Weingarten, Sa 27.03.2010 / 20:15 Kulturzentrum Linse
– Basel, So 28.03.2010 / 11:00 kult.kino atelier
– Freiburg, So 28.03.2010 / 20:00 KOKI Freiburg
– Genf, Mo 29.03.2010 / 20:00 Maison des arts du Grütli
– Bern, Di 30.03.2010 / 20:00 Kino in der Reitschule
– Nürnberg, Mi 31.03.2010 / 19:00 Filmhaus Nürnberg
– Schwäbisch Hall, Do 01.04.2010 /20:30 Kino Schafstall
– Berlin, Sa 3.04.2010
Tagesseminar im Bildungswerk der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
– Berlin, Mo 05.04.2010 / 20:00 Festsaal Kreuzberg
– Bielefeld, Di 06.04.2010 / 19:30 Welthaus Bielefeld
– Bochum, Mi 07.04.2010 / 17:00 Bahnhof Langendreer
– Bremen, Do 08.04.2010 / 18:00 Kino 46
– Hannover, Fr 09.04.2010 / 20:30 Kino im Sprengel
– Wien, So 11.04.2010 / HTU Cinestudio
– Hamburg, Di 13.04.2010 / 19:00 Metropolis
– Hamburg, Mi 14.04.2010 / 10:00 Metropolis
– Göttingen, Mi 14.04.2010 / 20:00 Lumiere
– Stuttgart, Do 15.04.2010 / 19:00 Corso
– Oslo, Fr 16.04.2010
– Oslo, Sa 17.04.2010

Während der Tour gibt es einen Blog mit aktuellen Einträgen, Videos und Fotos zur Tour hier:

http://filmtour.blogsport.eu/

We would be delighted to meet you at one of the screenings. You can also follow us on this blog (text/photos/videos): http://filmtour.blogsport.eu/

Temine/all dates here:

http://dok-werk.com/termine

www.dok-werk.com

Ashraf Cassiem in the USA – Full Schedule of Events

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Ashraf Cassiem in the USA – Full Schedule of Events

November 10-December 1, 2009

November 10-12: Chicago, IL

* Wednesday, November 10: Arrive at O’Hare International Airport

* Wednesday, November 11:

1. Tour of Woodlawn with STOP (unconfirmed)
2. Speaking event at the University of Chicago, “Housing is a Human Right” at 7:30 p.m. in Harper 104

* Thursday, November 12:

1. Visit with Southside Together Organizing in Woodlawn (unconfirmed)
2. Fly to Bay Area via SFO

November 13-15: San Francisco Bay Area, CA:

* Friday, November 13:

1. “This is not the freedom we fought for: Poor Peoples movements in post-apartheid South Africa,” Talk at University of California-Berkley’s Center for African Studies (CAS) 10-11:30 am in 652 Barrows
2. San Francisco Housing Organizers meeting 6:30pm in the basement, SF Community Land Trust, 55 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, 94111

* Saturday, November 14:

1. Community Event in Oakland (unconfirmed)

* Sunday, November 15:

1. Fly to Washington, D.C.

November 16-17: Baltimore, MD/Washington D.C.

* Monday, November 16:

1. Red Emma’s Presents an Evening of Discussion and Solidarity with Ashraf Cassiem at 7pm at 2640 St. Paul Street (http://redemmas.org/uploads/posters/aec.jpg)

* Tuesday, November 17:

1. 12-1pm Santita Jackson Show (312 342 7113)
2. Lunch at the Institute for Policy Studies hosted by Africa Action, ”Housing Struggles World Wide” 12-2 pm at Institute for Policy Studies, 1112 16th St. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036 (http://www.africaaction.org/events/index.php?op=view&eventid=2051)
3. Meet with David Moshenberg from Tenants Workers United (TWU) at 837 22nd Street (22nd and I street) @ 2:30-4:30pm
4. “Housing Struggles World Wide” Panel Discussion, 5:30-7:30pm, Real Time Africa, 4000 Chesapeake St NW Washington, DC 20016 (http://www.africaaction.org/events/index.php?op=view&eventid=2071)

November 18-19: New York City, NY

* Wednesday, November 18:

1. Travel to New York City by bus
2. 10:45-11:30am WPFW Africa Now program
3. 6pm Meet with activists from Movement for Justice en El Barrio, 125 E. 105th St. (between Park & Lexington), near #6 number 6 stop at E. 103rd St.

* Thursday, November 19:

1. 12-5pm Tour Harlem with Picture the Homeless, 2427 Morris avenue, Bronx (near 4 or D train stops at Fordham Rd)
2. Speaking event at the Brecht Forum, “This is not the freedom we fought for: Poor Peoples movements in post-apartheid South Africa” at 7:30 p.m.

November 20-22, Boston/Springfield, MA:

* Friday, November 20:

1. Travel to Boston by bus
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology @ 12:30-2pm, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 10-485, Cambridge, MA 02138
3. Emerson College @ 3-5pm, Walker Building Rm 233, 120 Boylston St, Boston, MA
4. Dinner with Bank Tenants Association at City Life/Vida Urbana @ 6pm, 284 Amory Street, 1st floor

* Saturday, November 21:

1. Alliance to Develop Power @ 12pm, ” South African activist to share strategies with ADP leaders,” 130 Union Street, Springfield, MA
2. Speaking event at Encuentro 5,

Sunday, November 22: Travel to Miami

November 22-25: Miami, FL

* Monday, November 23:

1. Tour Miami neighborhoods with Low Income Families Fighting Together Tenant (unconfirmed)
2. Strategic Dialogue with Miami Housing organizers 3-5pm (location?)
3. Talk at the Miami Workers Center 6-8pm (location?)

* Tuesday, November 24:

1. Tour Miami with Take Back the Land @ 9am
2. Strategic Dialogue with Take Back the Land @ 12:30pm

* Wednesday, November 25: meet with Power U (unconfirmed)

* Thursday, November 26: Fly from Miami to Chicago, IL

November 25-30, Chicago, IL: Thursday November 26 – Sunday 28

November 29-December 1, Milwaukee, WI:

* Sunday, November 29: Drive to Milwaukee, WI
* Monday, November 30: Speaking event at University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin, “Housing is a Human Right: Fighting evictions from Cape Town to Milwaukee” (location /time?)
* Tuesday, December 1: Drive to Chicago, IL
* Wednesday, December 2: Depart from O’Hare to Cape Town, South Africa

When the Mountain Meets its Shadow

Preview of the Dok-Werk Fikmkooperative documentary When the Mountain Meets Its Shadow which will be released in 2010.

Preview – Part 1

Preview – Part 2

Preview – Part 3

Preview – Part 4

When the Mountain meets its Shadow
Cape Town, South Africa

In hardly any other city of the world can poverty and wealth be found as close together. When the mountain meets its shadow tells the moving stories of Ashraf, Mne, Zoliswa and Arnold, who, each in their own way, fight for survival in the informal settlements around Cape Town. While Ashraf and his friend Mnce from the Anti Eviction Campaign fight against evictions, water- and electricity cut-offs in the townships, Zoliswa and Arnold put their trust in their ability to work. Zoliswa, a single mother, is looking for a new position as a cleaner and Arnold trains as an armed guard to work in the booming security industry. When the city council wants to clear entire informal settlements in preparation for the World Cup in 2010, Ashraf and his friend Mnce are confronted with their own, undigested experiences from the apartheid years …

75min, 60min, 52min / HD / Color / 2009

Directors:
A.Kleider and D.Michel
Camera:
Alexander Kleider
Sound:
Romin Khan
Editor:
Daniela Michel

Click here to visit the Dok-Werk website and here to download more information on this film in pdf.

Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign Launched

Abahlali baseMjondolo

Umhlaba Izindlu neSithunzi Land Housing Dignity