Category Archives: Greg Nicolson

Dying for Land – KZN assassinations continue

As the land debate rages and occupations continue across the country, two members of the shack-dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo were shot this week. The group blames the ANC for failing to provide land and targeting those who take it.

S’fiso Ngcobo was critical of the ANC when he addressed over 1,000 people at a rally on Saturday. Three days later the Abahlali baseMjondolo eKukhanyeni chairperson was shot dead while buying a cold drink metres from his home.

“This is political, we know very well,” said Thapelo Mohapi from the shack-dwellers’ movement. “In Abahlali we have a history of ANC people killing our members.” Continue reading →

Daily Maverick: Abahlali baseMjondolo: The fight goes on

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-10-07-abahlali-basemjondolo-the-fight-goes-on/

This morning members of the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement planned to start protesting in Durban’s Cato Crest at 4:00, almost exactly a week since 17-year-old Nqobile Nzuza was killed in the area by police. Abahlali spoke to witnesses and is accusing the SAPS of murder. The police still say it was self-defence. The world, meanwhile, is starting to notice. By GREG NICOLSON.

In a statement released on Thursday, Abahlali says it has been operating in crisis mode since the shooting and put together a timeline of events based on discussions with witnesses. The group says they started collecting material to block the roads on Sunday night when they were visited by “the notorious gangster councillor” Mzi Ngiba, who warned them not to protest. The next morning they started burning tires before going to fetch people to join them. They claim police were waiting for them so the diverted their route, but two police vehicles blocked them again.

Continue reading →

Winter in Johannesburg: “The only thing anyone ever does is chase us”

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-08-08-johannesburgs-cold-and-desperate

Johannesburg’s cold and desperate

by Greg Nicholson

Some Gauteng residents delighted on Tuesday when snow began to fall across Johannesburg, Pretoria and Vereeniging. They rushed to take pictures on their camera phones and joked on Twitter. For others, the cold ushered fear, sickness and the chance of dying from exposure. GREG NICOLSON spoke to those unable to stay warm.

The homeless

Brothers Zonibonile, 24, and Siyabonga Mdiya, 28, remember enjoying the snow. They grew up in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, and said they’ve seen it many times. When they were kids it was fun to watch the flakes fall. “At least you’re safe in your home, in your blanket,” said Zonibonile, a piece of wire tied around his waist to close his jacket. Continue reading →

Daily Maverick: Alexandra threatens foreigners on housing – again

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2011-10-20-alexandra-threatens-foreigners-on-housing-again

Alexandra threatens foreigners on housing – again

The last time the Alexandra township turned its anger on foreigners, necklacing was resurrected and thousands ended up in refugee camps around the country. So when blatant and unashamed intimidation of foreigners is the opening gambit in a battle for housing, we tend to worry. By GREG NICOLSON and PHILLIP DE WET.

The members of Alexandra Bonafides are very clear about their message: this is not about xenophobia, and not even about violence. On Wednesday we heard any number of variations on the theme of “we’re only protecting our rights” and “we don’t want trouble again like in 2008”. But it just so happens that the group believes many RDP houses in a new section of the township, still under construction in parts, are being occupied by foreigners – and if those foreigners don’t respond to words, well… Nobody will say it, but the nature of the threat is abundantly clear. Continue reading →