Rural Network S.A Press Statement
Tuesday, 21 September 2010

FURTHER UPDATE ON THE MPANZA AND SHANGE TRIAL

While the Rural Network S.A and Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement S.A were in court in solidarity with the Mpanza and the Shange families they faced a painful experienced. They were thrown out of court, along with the family members, on the trial day of the late Vukani Shange and Thembinkosi Mpanza which was Friday, 17 September 2010.

For several times over the last few years the families were in pain seeing the accused walking up and down the community and throwing bad remarks at friends and families of the murdered boys. But they decide to be patient and to hold their anger as they did not want to take the law into their hands. The families have waited for too long for this day to come as their children were shot dead on 17 June 2006 after the National Youth Day, a commemoration day in this country, were the youth of 1976 died on a brutal killing. Those youth that were shot in 1976 dieed not knowing that the past will repeat itself in the future when two boys from the Sibekezelo High School were shot dead by the notorious Farm Watch on the farm called Horse Shoe Farm.

As this trial day came, all the community members and poor people’s organizations (Rural Network, Abahlali baseMjondolo) were looking for justice. But when there were in the court premises during the lunch break one of the accused, who is nameed Phumlani Sithole, passed painful words to the parents saying that he will walk scot free. When the parents asked what was the meaning of his words he then ran to a police who is his brother in law claiming that he was threatened by the families. The police took the matter with out confirming from the families and sent it straight to the magistrate. He then took a decision of banning the families, Rural Network, Abahlali baseMjondolo and the friends and supporters of Mpanza and Shange from the court.

The families were in tears when they were thrown out of court, because their hope was seeing justice taking its place. For it was the first day of the testimonial of the accused and they truly wanted to find out the truth why their children were shot dead on such brutal way. They felt that their children’s souls will not rest in peace when justice has not come, It has already been delayed and denied for so long. And we all know that if it was a farmer or some other rich person who had been killed the trial would have happened years ago.

But after some pressures the magistrate has finally decided to place back the family, Rural Network, Abahlali baseMjondolo, Friends and supporters to court for the trial on Friday, 15 October 2010 at eShowe Court. It will be the testimonial of the second accused.

The Rural Network and Abahlali will be there in their masses to be in solidarity with Mpanza and Shange. As this trial has been delayed for years now both organisations want to see justice take its place. We also want to see if the law works fairly for everyone in South African including the poor.

We are struggling for justice on the farms and in the cities. We are struggling for a world where everyone counts and where the land and wealth are shared. We are struggling for land and for freedom.

For more information please don’t hesitate to call the following:

Rev Mavuso
Rural Network Spokesperson
072 279 2634

Ms Bandile Mdlalose
Abahlali baseMjondolo General Secretary
031 304 6420
074 730 8120

Rural Network Press Statement
Friday, 17 September 2010

THE MPANZA AND SHANGE TRIAL

As the trial of the alledged murderers of Thembinkosi Mpanza and Vukani Shange returned to court for the 20th time the Rural Network in KZN and Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement S.A were there to show solidarity.

Relatives, family members, community and supporters were happy to go to court and see the justice take its place.

When the two boys Thembinkosi Mpanza and Vukani Shange were shot dead on 2006 June 17, just a day after the National Youth Day, it took a long time for their case to go to court. The family members prayed that their children’s souls will not rest in peace while the victims were walking around the community like nothing happened after they were given bail of R500.00 for a murder charge. Since 2006 the families have been in pain watching these victims and enduring these victims throwing words at them claiming that nothing will be done to them. The two families have been patient because all they wanted was the law to take it place.

As the family returned to court today the accused, Phumlani Sithole, again said painful words to the parents of the boys saying he will work scot free. The family members asked what does he mean by that and he then ran to that police of which is known as his brother in law and said that he is been threated. The police then did not ask any further question but refered the matter to the magistrate and the family members, community and supporters were banned from the court.

As justice has been delayed and denied it always leave a question of how does the law work for the poor. After a long wait the family member were waiting for justice in the courts and now there are being banned from the courts. How will they ever see the trial of their sons. We feel like it is time the Minister Justice Mr Jeff Hadebe get involved to this matter and that he should it as matter of urgency.

The Freedom Charter says that South Africa belongs to all who live in it. The Constitution says that we are all equal before the law. But the reality is that some people own the land and others do not. The reality is that some people are being shot dead by farm watches and others are not. The reality is that the legal system takes some people’s lives to matter much, much less than others.

Our struggle for rural and urban land to be shared fairly and for all people to count equally continues.

For more information on this matter please do not hesitate to call:

Rev Mavuso
Rural Network Spokesperson
072 279 2634

Ms Bandile Mdlalose
Abahlali baseMjondolo General Secretary
074 730 8120
031 304 6420

Rural Network Press Statement
Tuesday, 14 September 2010

The Mpanza and Shange Trial Continues in eShowe

The Mpanza and the Shange trial will return to court for the 20th time on Friday 17 September 2010. The Rural Network and the Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement will be there to show a living solidarity.

On 17 June 2006 Thembinkosi Mpanza was 17 and Vukani Shange was 16 years old when they were shot to death by the farm watchers in Horse Shoe Farm near eShowe. The accused are Jabulani Sithole and Phumlani Thusi. Mpanza and Shange were allegedly killed for stealing two sticks of sugar cane for human consumption.

The two teenagers were killed coming from Sibekezelo High school in eMasangweni near Nkwalini a day after the National Youth Day in South Africa which is usually commemorated by the youth for those who were killed in brutal murder in Soweto on 16 June 1976. As they walking home from school, they decided to eat some sugar cane. The boys were still in the spirit of Youth Day and happily singing the National Anthem. They were not knowing that they would soon join those who were killed in Soweto in 1976. These Farm Watchers emerged from the bush and mercilessly gunned down the two boys in cold blood for the so called crime of eating the fruits of this land.

Since 2006 justice has been delayed and denied. The trial only started on 20th of June 2010. The Rural Network in KwaZulu-Natal has written letters to the Minister of Justice raising concerns over these procedural issues on the matter.

The killing of people in the rural communities around KwaZulu Natal has been going on for too long now. One death is a death too many. As a matter of fact Mr Mpanza, the uncle of Thembinkosi Mpanza, has also been shot to death while walking passed the farm of Mr Channel. He was shot to death in front of his two kids aged 16 and 11 years.

This raises question about whose life is important or less important in this country. We have noted with great despair that when a poor person on a farm is shot by a farmer and their farm watch no one cares. Neither government nor media take it seriously but if it is the farmer that is killed the whole world is shaking.

We’ve always warned that we are the people that do not count in our society. We don’t count to our government; we don’t count to our business sectors and we don’t count to the rich and to our middle class communities. We will only count when the poor define ourselves for ourselves and are able to force our participation into every matter that decides the future of the poor. But when we realise and acknowledge the strength of the poor we become the huge threat to those who claim to own power. Just as the land and wealth of this society must be shared so to power must be shared. Everyone in this society must be made to count equally.

Today we have mobilised and organised our poor communities around our common goal which is to recognise that our strength is in our numbers and to build our unity. This unity is the same unity that shall be used to destroy the power of the rich and the power of those who put business interests before human dignity.

We call upon every progressive organisation and individual to come and support our call that the trial of alleged killers of Thembinkosi Mpanza and Vukani Shange is fair and just.

The trial will take place at the eShowe regional court at 09:00am. The presiding officer is Mr Xolo, the prosecutor is Mr Magubane, the defence counsel is Mr Masuku and Mr Khumalo.

For more information or comment please contact:

Rev. Mavuso
Rural Network Spokesperson
072 279 2634

Mr M’du Sibisi
eMasangweni Rural Network Branch Chairperson
073 387 9265

Mr Mnikelo Ndabankulu
Abahlali baseMjondolo Spokesperson
079 745 0653

Ms Bandile Mdlalose
Abahlali baseMjondolo General Secretary
031 304 6420
074 730 8120