A large crowd of Grassy Park shackdwellers loudly proclaimed themselves as Abahlali base Mjondolo outside the Cape Town High Court this morning, singing the songs of Durban comrades. They persuaded George Galloway who had come along to support them and visit other shackdwelling communities to represent them in court when their lawyer didn't show up! Galloway gladly agreed but at the final moment the lawyer appeared and the eviction was put on hold.

Cape Town Anti War Coalition wrote:
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2006 11:51:15 +0200
From: "Cape Town Anti War Coalition"

Starting from scratch after forced removal
By Anna Weekes

Walter Siyacela Ndenza came to the city from rural Bizana in 1990 looking for a better life. He first rented a shack in Mayville, just outside the city but then bought a shack for R800 in Lusaka informal settlement, equally close to the city.

"Buying my own shack was some kind of progress", Siyacela said. With the little money he earned as a casual construction labourer in the nearby suburb of Reservoir Hills, Siyacela bought two lawnmowers and sought work in the suburb cutting lawns. This is how he supported his three dependents. But when the Lusaka community was forcibly removed by the ANC Ethekwini municipality, municipal police smashed one of the lawnmowers irreparably and broke the other one, which is now under repair.