Update: The nine comrades were released on bail of R500 each. They will appear in court again on 7 June 2014.

Sunday, 19 May 2013
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Eleven Abahlali Members Arrested in KwaNdengezi; Nqola Assaults Activist

The Abahlali baseMjondolo KwaNdengezi branch have vowed to challenge the authoritarian rule of the KwaNdengezi councillor Mduduzi Christian Ngcobo who is known as Ngola.

Nqola continues to plan housing development in the area and to construct, employ and allocate housing on his own without involving the community in any decision making. He continues to intimidate and assault activists in the community. He continues to give houses to the people that are not from the community. In all of these actions he claim that he has the full support of the eThekwini municipality.

17 April 2013
Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement Press statement

The suspect in the KwaNdengezi bush knife murders and Ward 12 Cllr Nqola Ngcobo return to Court

Abahlali bakwaNdengezi with the support of Abahlali baseMjondolo in general will be going to the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court today.

We will be protesting at the bail application of the accused in the KwaNdengezi bush knife murders. We will demand that bail be denied in the interests of the safety of the community and that there be a thorough investigation into these murders that looks closely at the motive for the killing. It will be remembered that last time the magistrate had ordered that the suspect‘s state of mind be examined by relevant doctors. The suspect had killed two comrades in one Abahlali family and then ran to another Abahlali family where he assaulted Mr Shozi. This was in a community where Abahlali members have been under serious intimidation, including threats of violence, for some time.

Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
30 March 2013

Murder in KwaNdengezi

On Good Friday those of us who are Christians remember the murder of Jesus Christ who spurned the rich and walked with the poor. We never forget that Jesus Christ was murdered by the state for the crime of taking the side of the poor.

This year Good Friday in KwaNdengezi was marked with the blood, terror and grief of the poor.

At around 22:00pm on Thursday night Dumisane Mdletshe, a 31 year old man whose family live in KwaNdengezi although he no longer lives there, went to the home of a well known, well respected and brave AbM leader in KwaNdengezi. He kicked open the door and entered the home. He had a bush knife. He attacked her grandmother and her uncle and killed them both. They were both AbM members. He then asked for the AbM leader who had escaped in the dark. We are not giving her name until we have secured a safe house for her.

14 March 2013
Abahlali BaseMjondolo Press Statement

Victory for KwaNdengezi

Three comrades from KwaNdengezi had all charges against them withdrawn in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Their arrest followed a protest against the alleged selling of RDP houses by Nqola, the Ward 12 councillor. Four comrades were arrested to shield Nqola’s corrupt allocation of houses and his attempts to intimidate comrades organising in the area. Mandla Hlophe, one of the four, had all charges against him dropped on the 28 February 2013, by the same court. The three comrades who had all charges against them withdrawn yesterday are Cde Ephrame Hlongwane, Cde Mndeni Nene and Cde Cindy Mabaso.

6 March 2013
Woman’s League Press Statement

Abahlali baseMjondolo Women's League Marched into the Durban City Hall Today

Protocols are a waste of time for the poor; Appointments are delaying tactics while we suffer.

On Saturday 2 March 2013, Abahlali baseMjondolo Woman’s League had its General Meeting. The KwaNdengezi branch was present and shared their painful story of living under constant threat from their Ward 12 councillor and that they are not even sleeping in their own homes due to threats.

Thursday, 28 February 2013
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press statement

All Charges Against One of the KwaNdengezi Four Dropped

All charges against Mandla Hlope were withdrawn in the Pinetown Magistrate’s ‘’C” Court this morning.

Hlope is one of the KwaNdengezi Four arrested on the 28th of January following protests against corruption and intimidation in the area. Residents of the area have accused the local councilor, Mduduzi Christian (Nqola) Ngcobo, of corruption and intimidation. Ngcobo ordered the police to arrest the four. Hlope was charged with public violence and assault.

29 January 2013
Abahlali baseMjondolo press statement

Update from the Pinetown Magistrate's Court

Abahlali baseMjondolo were at the Pinetown magistrate's court today in our numbers where one of the four comrades from KwaNdengezi appeared on one charge of assault. Comrade Mandla Hlophe was released on warning. His matter has been adjourned for the 19th of February 2013.

At the Pinetown Magistrate's Court, 29 January 2013

The other three comrades were not brought to court on the ground that more charges are still to be laid on to them. Right now we are told that at least four charges are laid against each one of them: public violence, damage to property, assault with gross bodily harm (GBH) and robbery. We have no doubt that all these charges have been fabricated and that this will become clear if this matter ever goes to trial.

Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
29 January 2013

Four Arrests in KwaNdengezi

During a protest on Sunday 27 January 2013 people of KwaNdengezi were threatened at gunpoint by an MK Veteran who is one of those who allegedly bought the corrupted RDP houses of the people of KwaNgendengezi. We opened a case of intimidation against this man but it was never investigated and he is still not arrested for that.

Yesterday at around 03:00 p.m.the same MK Veteran and the councillor of the area, Mduduzi Ngcobo, came with the police and pointed out which protesters they wanted the police to arrest. This is how it usually works – the councillors tell the police who to arrest.

27 January 2013
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press statement

Protesters Threatened in KwaNdengezi

Abahlali KwaNdengezi are currently engaging in a protest against corrupt and authoritarian development. Abahlali KwaNdengezi have had no choice but to defend their homes, their graves, their culture and of course their dignity against the eThekwini Municipality's failed housing project in their area. They are currently protesting against a corrupt housing project that is being imposed on people from above without consultation or respect. Once again we see that failing political leadership creates hatred and violence in our communities.

27 November 2012
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

New Branches & New Struggles in KwaNdengezi & Isipingo

On Sunday the 18th of November 120 people, mainly women, participated in the launch of the new Abahlali baseMjondolo(AbM) branch in KwaNdengezi. On Sunday the 25th of November we launched another new AbM branch in the Uganda settlement in Isipingo. We currently have 64 branches, 55 in KwaZulu-Natal and 9 in the Western Cape.

Abahlali baseMjondolo Launch at KwaNdengezi