Category Archives: Thulani Ndlazi

Finding Our Voice in the World

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Finding Our Voice in the World

by Mark Butler, with Cindy Dennis, Thulani Ndlazi, David Ntseng, Graham Philpott, Zonke Sithole, and Nomusa Sokhela.

Since the Church Land Programme’s (CLP) conscious shift to a broadly Freireian and emancipatory commitment to ‘animation’ as its core process, continued attention to ongoing cycles of reflection and action is central to its organisational life. In the build up to its 3 year Strategic Planning process in July 2010, CLP staff conducted a series of reflection sessions. In January a joint session developed elements of a collective ‘contextual analysis’ and, in the months that followed, each staff member was responsible for preparing and facilitating reflective sessions looking at their own and CLP’s work through the lens of ‘praxis’ or animation. Much of that thinking and material from those sessions was taken into the evaluation process and is captured in that documentation. In this short note we bring together contributions made around a couple of related themes that ran through many of the discussions.

CLP: People’s Food, People’s Sovereignty (Edition # 6: June, 2010)

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http://www.churchland.co.za/default.asp?id=796

People’s Food, People’s Sovereignty (Edition # 6: June, 2010)

From walking and working with groups and communities who struggle for food and for sovereignty in their lives, we know that there are so many people who go to sleep without food – often for three days and more at a time. Our country’s history of violence, conquest and theft undermined the social, political and productive lives of the people. It deliberately attacked the ability of the majority to live their lives to the full and on their own terms. And even after more than 15 years of our so-called ‘democracy’, the masses of the people, especially in rural areas, still struggle for life. Being landless, penniless, jobless, sick and without the resources for farming (which includes access to safe, affordable water) are some of the reasons why these people cannot produce. In this newsletter we share some aspects of these different places and the struggles of the people there. There are many things in common across the different experiences and places.

To see the newsletter visit: http://www.churchland.co.za/default.asp?id=796

Yours Sincerely,

Rev. Thulani Ndlazi

live or die for (eNkwalini)

The film is about the eNkwalini community’s struggle for land rights. It highlights the attacks by the local neighbouring farmer who has been trying to evict them since 2005 when he started to demolish their houses. The film tells a story of a rural community that is waging a struggle against ferocious tides of oppression. It is a story about a territorial war between the poor rural community and rich land owner. It is a story that reminds us that although South Africa may be celebrating 15 years of democratic rule, however, conditions under for those who are poor and marginalized, such as the rural and farm dweller communities, have hardly changed. For them it is not yet “uhuru” (freedom).

One of the houses shown in this film is a debilitated homestead that used to belong to the Shandu family. After many years of participating in the local community’s struggle to defend their territorial rights the Shandu family gave up and left on the grounds of voluntary eviction. Mr. Zulu who narrates the Nkwalini story in this film states that after numerous attempts of constructive eviction by the local neighbour farmer such as unlawful cattle impoundment, denial of access to water and public servitude road, threats of violence, damage to property (with almost impunity) the Shandu family joined a small group of local residents who ended up succumbing to this constructive eviction exerted upon them by this local farmer.

The Nkwalini community is an affiliate member of the Rural Network (RN). The RN is a non-partisan alliance of various communities who live on rural and farming areas in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It was formed in the late 2005 as an initiative to mobilize and keep connected for purposes of strengthening solidarity among those who suffer abuses of their land rights and basic democratic rights.

Reverend Thulani Ndlazi

To see more short films by Elkartasun Bideak click here.

Solidarity: Farmer Arrests Grade 9 Kid After Assaulting Her

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Friday, 22 February 2008
Click here to see pictures.

Dear All,

There is a rather disturbing story of yet another farmer terrorising a poor black family (mother and children). On Monday, the Land Legal Cluster was successful in securing a court interdict preventing Mr. Collin deGaspery from attacking the Masikane family. On Wednesday, Mr. de Gaspery’s lawyers were served with papers which, apparently were served to him yesterday. Upon receiving the interdict de Gaspery went straight to the Masikane family and physically attacked them.

As Ms. Fikile Masikane and her children ran helter-skelter, Dudu who is in grade 9 couldn’t escape Collin’s attack. He grabbed her and shoved her on to the ground while insulting her verbally. The family later called the police who came after several hours. After listening to their complaints, the police told the family that they had, on their way to the farm, seen de Gasprey driving from the farm. As a result, there was nothing they could do since the farmer was not at his home. The family had planned to open a case of assault against de Gaspery today. They had planned to do this upon Dudu’s return from school but unfortunately, before the family could even open a case, the police arrived at the family home to arrest Dudu for assault.

More than ten years into democracy and yet people are still victimised and the justice system dismally fails to protect the very same people it was created to serve. It is a shame.

For more information on this Masikane case please contact Thulani Masikane on 0768802851

Yours sincerely,

Rev. Thulani Ndlazi

Update: It is about 19:30 now. I have just returned from the Masikane family where the police from Rietvlei Police Station had come to the Masikane home to formally charge Dudu, a 17 year old grade 9 learner. Dudu left school this afternoon to be greeted by a her lawyer who had been arranged to provide her with legal advise with regard to her imminent charges. The lawyer and I picked Dudu up from school and drove her home. Upon her arrival at home there were two police officers waiting for her in order to charge her with assault. The lawyer negotiated with them. According to some section in the law (which I have forgotten) they did not have to detain her. Nevertheless, she was formally charged and she will be appearing in Greytown magistrate court tomorrow morning. Dudu’s mother Fikile Masikane also opend a case of assault against the farmer.