Category Archives: Land Occupations

eNkanini Branch to Open its Community Hall Today

Saturday, 1 December 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

eNkanini Branch to Open its Community Hall Today

Today, Saturday 1 December, our eNkanini Branch in Cato Manor, will officially open its new community hall. The land was first occupied early last year and the occupation faced serious and often brutal resistance from the local ANC and middle-class residents living on nearby land. It took sustained courage to hold and win the land. The alliance between the middle class residents, the ANC and the police did not stop the inkani of community.  Continue reading →

“We are only good for votes” say Cato Crest families

GroundUp

By 

Residents face more evictions in their new community

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 →

The People Of Blinkbonnie Can Finally Call eNkanini Home

Lizeka Maduna, The Daily Maverick

Kids are running around playing, it’s the school holidays. Elderly women are sitting outside in the sun; they say inside their houses it’s chilly. Enkanini, which translates to ‘place of strong-willed’ in Blinkbonnie Road, Durban, has become their only home.

“We have settled here, this is now our homes and a community,” says a 58-year-old Noncedile Diko.

After months of restlessness and continuous court disputes over land with the municipality, the people of Blinkbonnie Road, a strip of land in Bonela have finally found ‘peace’. Diko, whose house was demolished several times says she in at peace now that she finally has a place to call home.  Continue reading →

The Road Blockades are Up on the East Rand

28 May 2018
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Road Blockade, East Rand

The Road Blockades are Up on the East Rand

For years we have tried to talk to the politicians and officials in the Ekurhuleni Municipality and Gauteng Provincial Government about our urgent need for land and housing. These attempts have been fruitless. Since we founded the Zikode Extension land occupation we have faced relentless illegal evictions as well as police violence and death threats. We went to court to try and stop the illegal evictions and were told that our concerns were not urgent. In the meantime, armed men have been looking for our leaders and we are getting sick after night after night in the open after our shacks have been demolished.

We have decided to organise a strike. This morning we have blocked a number of roads on the East Rand in protest against the ongoing illegal evictions, the police violence and the threats from local ANC leaders. We have not taken this decision lightly and we know that the blockades will result in more police violence. Continue reading →

Death Threats by Armed Men Against Leaders in the Zikode Extension Occupation

Saturday, 26 May 2018

Zikode Extension

Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Death Threats by Armed Men Against Leaders in the Zikode Extension Occupation

Today is day 16 of the Zikode Extension Land Occupation on the East Rand, between Boksburg and Germiston. Many of us are sick after 15 nights on the land. Some of us are still carrying wounds from the brutal police assault on 17 May. Our shacks have been repeatedly destroyed and the building materials burnt or confiscated. Cars used to transport the materials to the occupation have been impounded. We are also facing death threats. Armed men, unknown to us, are looking for our leaders. Continue reading →