ANC threatens attack on the Makause settlement
Abahlali baseMjondolo stands in full solidarity with the democratically elected leadership of the Makause settlement as they face threats of violence from the ANC branch in Primrose. We are far away in distance but close in spirit and we will do all that we can to mobilise support for the comrades in Makause as their community politic faces the threat of repression from the party politic. As our experience shows very well these threats must be taken very seriously by all democrats.
Makause Press Statement - Sunday 29 May 2011
Primrose ANC Branch Threatens Attack on the Leadership of the Makause Shack Settlement in Ekurhuleni
The ANC in the Primrose branch in Ekurhuleni on the East Rand has planned something like a protest or attack on the leadership of the Makause informal settlement this weekend or during the week. The leadership heard this from the grandfather of the failed ANC councillor (the Primrose ward again went to the DA), who is in the Makause leadership. The Makause leadership is non-party political. The ANC’s mobilisation campaign before the elections was about promises of creating jobs. This involved members forming CCs and securing contracts and tenders to benefit members. The person behind this is Absalom Budeli, the failed ANC ward councillor candidate, and his branch leaders.
The ANC branch leadership is accusing the Makause leadership of supporting the DA and of being paid to stop the community from voting, and they see ‘General’ Alfred Moyo (who is part of the Makause leadership) in the forefront of these assumed campaigns. On election day the Municipality’s contractor started implementation of the municipality’s high mast lighting project to install 5 lights owed to the Makause community since 2008. This involved employing 20 community members from Makause. This group (coordinated by General, who himself is not employed in this project) was labelled by the ANC as DA supporters. In the last week, there were 4 attacks on Somali shop owners in Makause. The Makause leadership structure represents local and foreign shop owners in the settlement. The leadership expects that these 4 attacks are connected to the ANC’s campaign to overthrow them.
Today the ANC called a meeting to elect their committee to overthrow General and the Makause leadership by force or attack them if they resist and don’t give up leadership to them. The Makause leadership is expecting riots in the area. They await the outcomes of the ANC branch meeting today, and are unsure of what might happen later.
For further information:
Alfred Moyo 0734307006
http://www.abahlali.org
http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/
http://www.antieviction.org.za