Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape
Press Statement, Friday 27 November 2009

Protest Against State Repression to be Held at at Macassar Village Tomorrow

We will be holding a protest against state repression at New Road, Maccassar Village, from 11:00 on Saturday 28 November 2009.

Our movement is under serious attack in Durban. Our comrades in Abahlali baseMjondolo in Durban have been attacked and had their homes destroyed by an armed ANC militia supported by the local police and politicians. They have also been arrested, denied bail, beaten while in custody and attacked and seriously beaten by the police while going about their ordinary activities in their communities. Many of our comrades are living under death threats and have been turned into refugees. Many of our comrades are no longer able to appear in public in Durban. There have been longstanding problems with democracy in Durban but it is now clear that there is no longer any democracy in Durban. Durban ceased to be a democratic city on 26 September 2009 when this wave of violent repression was launched against our movement.

Click here to read Mzonke Poni's essay on his arrest and the meaning of 'public violence' in contemporary South Africa

‘Police lies exposed in court’

Mzonke Poni, leader of Abahlali base Mjondolo in the Western Cape, and accused on a charge of ‘public violence’ had his case discharged in court on Tuesday 29 September for ‘lack of reliable evidence’. Mzonke conducted his own defence and he did so brilliantly. He led the three witnesses, one from the Metro Police and two from Cape Town’s anti-land-invasion unit, into contradicting themselves and each other.

Some good news in dark times - Mzonke represented himself at his trial and won, decisively. The police officers were exposed as liars under cross examination by Mzonke and all charges were dropped.

Mzonke Poni, Chairperson of Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape, is scheduled to stand trial on the charge of public violence on Tuesday 29 September 2009. The charge relates to a protest organised in opposition to state criminality against the Macassar Village Land Occupation. He has written this essay on 'public violence' in response to the charges levelled against him.

Click here for more pictures of the march by Sydelle Willow Smith, here for pictures from Independent Online, here for the report in the Cape Argus and here for the report in the Cape Times.

Update: Click here to read the Cape Town Municipality's response to the AbM Memorandum.

http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/2009/07/re-urgent-update-on-abm-wc-protest.html

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Re: an urgent update on ABM-WC Protest

5 Protestors Shot With Rubber Bullets in Cape Town

The ABM-WC is calling an end to state criminality of criminalizing it's members by applying old apartheid tactics of arresting, assaulting, and shooting people with rubber bullets when they exercise their right to freedom of expression and the right to protest.

The movement will not be silenced by the state under the leadership of so called ANC government, and will continue to be vocal using any forms of engagement.

http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/2009/07/re-press-for-immediate-release-abm-wc.html

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
RE: Press for immediate Release (ABM-WC Protest)
Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape will be Marching to the offices of the City of Cape Town on the 20th July 2009 in support of Macassar Village Land Occupation.

Lansdown Road is Currently Barricaded

It will be joined by 15 informal settlement throughout Khayelitsha that are the part of the Movement, all the areas that will participate at the march will submit their own list of demands in a view to make their voice heard by the new Mayor of City of Cape Town.

Click here to read the report on this event in the Cape Argus.

Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape Press Statement
15 June 2009

June 16th Commemoration to be Held at the Macassar Village Occupation

Every year since 2005 Abahlali baseMjondolo has de-celebrated Freedom Day by holding UnFreedom Day in Durban. Now that tradition will continue in Cape Town and Johannesburg as the Poor People's Alliance organises to begin the process of taking back our history of struggle from the politicians. This history belongs to the people and tomorrow the Poor People's Alliance will be retracing the route of the 1976 June 16th protest in Soweto, Johannesburg. Here in Cape Town we have been focussing on mobilising other communities to support the Macassar Village Occupation. During these meetings we have discussed what would should do to take forward the programme of the Poor People's Alliance on June 16th.

Can’t this city of prosperity find accommodation for 50 families?

June 10, 2009 Edition 1

The Catholic Justice and Peace Commission paid a pastoral visit to the people of Macassar in Nkanini and has these comments:

The ink from the recent national and provincial elections has not yet dried and peeled off our left thumbs and already the poor of our province, with their children as small as one month old, have been left to fend for themselves in wintry conditions.The judge, the premier, the mayor, the politician, all go home after deciding on the fate of 50 families who have been evicted from a piece of land they have called their home for more than two years. Their shack materials have been confiscated by the powers that be.

Click here to read this letter in pdf.

9 June 2009

The Honourable Mr. Dan Plato
Mayor of Cape Town,
The Mayor’s Office,
City of Cape Town
Cape Town 8001

South Africa

Reference: Violation of housing rights of 60 families in Macassar Village, Cape Town.

Dear Mayor Plato,

The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) is an international human rights non-governmental organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with offices throughout the world. COHRE has consultative status with the United Nations and Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. COHRE works to promote and protect the right to adequate housing for everyone, everywhere, including preventing or remedying forced evictions.

Macassar Village Occupiers Protest in Down Town Cape Town, 25 May 2009

Update 5: 2 June 5:02 p.m Mzonke Poni has just been released. He has to return to court on 17 June 2009.

Update 4: 1 June 2009 7:14 p.m. The second arrestee has been released after been subject to considerable police intimidation. Mzonke Poni has been removed from the holding cells at the Macassar Village Police station and taken to hospital. He remains under arrest and will appear in the Somerset West Court tomorrow between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m.