Uganda Transit Camp, Durban: A report from the frontlines of the struggle for democracy

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-02-13-uganda-transit-camp-durban-a-report-from-the-frontlines-of-the-struggle-for-democracy/

Just two decades after the dawn of democracy, an old horror is revisiting the new South Africa. Transit camps are back, and they are back with a vengeance, writes JARED SACKS.

Close to midnight and you can still hear babies wailing, couples quarrelling and house music blaring through the razor-thin zinc sheets that the eThekwini Municipality calls “walls” in Uganda Transit Camp near Isipingo, Durban. Getting a decent night’s sleep is a struggle in and of itself. And yet, that’s only the beginning.

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.

Abahlali kwaLanga TRA Press Statement
19 January 2013

Residents in Joe Slovo and Langa TRA continue to be sidelined by corruption

We as Abahlali baseMjondolo (ABM) are not satisfied by the way the government treats our communities. The worst part is that those who are richer do not feel ashamed to steal from the poor. We have been crying to our government, but we have been ignored.

The only thing we are fed by these people we are looking up to is lies. In the Langa TRA’s, ever since the Housing Development Agency (HDA) took over, corruption has increased. People have been robbed of their houses. They have been told to sign in order to get their housing but nothing came up. Later they were told the houses they had signed for were not theirs. These families now are stranded. They are being kept by their extended families.

We Demand that the Manase Report be Released

by Thinabantu Khanyile & Bandile Mdlalose

Everybody knows that in Durban housing development does not really operate to meet the needs of the people. In reality it has three main objectives. One is to remove the poor from the city to the human dumping grounds. The second is to make poor people dependent on the state and thereby the ruling party. The third is to enrich people that are loyal to the ruling party. Everybody knows that corruption is rampant in housing from the top to the bottom. Low-cost housing has made some people millionaires. Everybody also knows that housing and other services are going to party members. This, along with repression and co-option, is one of the main ways that the ruling party tries to break independent organiszation. For instance if there is a fire they often try to prevent people from rebuilding on their own and then replace the people’s shacks with government shacks (amatins) which are only given to party members.

22 October 2012
Abahlali bakwaNdengezi Press statement

Road blockade and protests to restore democracy and end corruption in
KwaNdengezi and Shallcross

The struggle for land, housing and dignity continues in KwaNdengezi.

Mduduzi Ngcobo, the KwaNdengezi Ward 12 councillor has been terrorizing this
community for a long time. It must be remembered that this community had to
march on the 31 August 2012 demanding that the Speaker of eThekwini
Municipality Logie Naidoo intervene in what the community calls Ngcobo acting
as both a referee and a player in new housing project. But as always Logie is

http://mg.co.za/article/2012-07-19-darkness-visible-in-jacob-zumas-kingdom-by-the-sea

Darkness visible in JZ's kingdom by the sea

by Niren Tolsi

With the African National Congress beset by factionalism, is the province still 100% Jacob Zuma? Niren Tolsi investigates.

"Wherever I go I carry a gun these days," a longtime ANC member from the eThekwini region in KwaZulu-Natal said, "not because I am afraid of thugs or political opposition, but because I am afraid of my own."

Our Aims Will Never Be the Same

by Lindela Figlan

People are born not the same and they will die not the same. Although people got united to achieve one goal, which is an equal and democratic society, the gap between the haves and the have nots is not fading away. In fact it is growing.

People got united and we thought that we had the same purpose and aim but for sure there are some for whom their intentions were to make sure that their own plans are achieved. Those with their own intentions are not here to sustain what is making the people to be together. But on the other hand some are working tirelessly without even noticing that there is a wolf that is also waiting tirelessly and patiently for good results so that it can seize the victories for itself. People pretended as if they were freedom fights while they were freedom robbers. They were wolves wearing the attire of the Freedom Charter and so we thought that they were lambs. But no where are they? Some come rushing past us in their blue light convoys. We see some of them in expensive hospitals and in places like Qalakabusha waiting to restart their plans to destroy this country.

20 February 2012
Unemployed People's Society Press Statement

March Against Housing Corruption in Shallcross

The Unemployed People's Society has, together with Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement S.A. and SANCO, been approached by the victims of the Savanna Park project and the Inkanyezi housing Project.

The Unemployed People’s Society will be marching to the Durban City Hall to demand an end to housing corruption in these housing projects such as Inkanyezi and Mawelewele, to demand road access and to oppose lazy and brutal police officials and the lack of services.

The march will start at King Dinuzulu Park (Botha Park) at 9:00am tomorrow - Tuesday, 21 February 2012. The memorandum will be handed over to the new eThekwini Municipal Manager Mr. Sibusiso Sithole, the Minister of Transport Mr. S’bu Ndebele and the Minister of Police Mr. Nathi Mthethwa. It will finished at 12 noon.

Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement S.A
Press Statement Saturday, 26 March 2011

March on the uGu District Mayor to Demand that Nomusa Dube Extend Her Investigation into Corruption to the Vulamehlo Municipality

Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement S.A is a social movement that fights to protect and promote the interests of the poor in S.A. While our movement works hard to build and to sustain democratic structures in our communities, to organise our own community controlled projects and to secure land and housing in our cities we also work hard to partner with all government departments and development agencies that are willing to help to better the lives of our communities and to get rid of corruption wherever necessary.

Friday, March 18, 2011
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement

Abahlali baseMjondolo to March on the KwaZulu/Natal Premier on Human Rights Day

Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA will be marching to the Durban City Hall on Monday, 21 March which is Human Rights Day. We will be joining other movements, organisations, communities and citizens and individuals of Durban and surrounding communities including street traders, flat dwellers, farm dwellers and shack dwellers. Together we will deliver a clear message to Mlaba, Sutcliffe and Naidoo that they have corrupted this city for too long and that their time is up.