Human Rights Day march on Durban City Hall

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,
organizations, 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.



We will be marching to end the incredible corruption in this city. We will be
marching to force Mlaba and his corrupt and brutal council to vacate their
offices pending the investigation into the 3.7 Billion Rand that they are
alleged to have corrupted. Our central demand is clear: “They must all go!”
We will also be marching for land and housing in our cities. We will be
marching for an end to the amatins and to all forced evictions. We will be
marching for the right to organise freely and in safety. There has been never
any respect for the human rights of shack dwellers and the poor in this city
and we will be marching, once again, to affirm our equal humanity and our
demand for equal dignity.



For too long our movement has been treated with disrespect and shame. For too
long our demands have not been taken seriously. For too long we have been made
to live in substandard houses without secure land, electricity and toilets. For
too long the politicians have lied to us without conscience and treated us with
contempt. For too long we have organised without being able to enjoy the right
to free expression in our own city.



The politicians would like Human Rights Day to be just another day on which our
human rights are violated by greedy politicians. We have engaged the government
at all levels, including the Zuma office, without success. It is clear that we
have not earned the respect of the politicians because we cannot buy or their
respect. Today we have decided to take it upon ourselves to demand that
respect. Today we have decided to take our struggle back to street where our
real power lies. We are determined to affirm, assert and defend our dignity.



Today it has become clear why the shack dwellers remain in poverty and in the
shacks year after year while Government issues the housing budget every year.
Today it has become clear why the eThekwini municipality continues to ignore
us. The reasons for the attack on our movement and for the bans our marches
each time we raise these issues have become clear. The reasons for Nigel Gumede
avoiding meeting with our leadership has become clear. The corrupted 3.7
Billion Rand is the answer.



Today is the time for accountability. Today is the time for rate payers’
money to be returned by those who have corrupted it. Today is the time for
corrupted RDP homes to be returned to their rightful owners. Today is the time
for an end to all corruption in this municipality. It is the time for free and
safe organizing in our settlements to begin. As long as the politicians and
officials continue treating us with such brutality we will remain organised in
our streets. We are warning Sutcliffe and Mlaba that we will not be intimidated
by their police, their lies or the ongoing intimidation of our members by local
ANC leaders and business men allied to the party.



Abahlali in Durban, just like our Western Cape sisters who we fully support,
remain too proud of our vote to give it to corrupt politicians. We thus say
“No Land! No House! No Respect! No Vote!” This is a campaign that we will
stand by until radical changes happen. We support the call that Abahlali of the
Western Cape will be launching on Monday to ensure that the politicians do not
play fouls with our people. Our people can no longer be deceived.


Our march will leave from King DinuZulu Park (formerly Botha Park) and proceed
to the Durban City Hall from 9 am to 12 pm.


Contact

Mnikelo Ndabankulu (Abahlali spokesperson) on 081 3095485
Bandile Mdlalose (Abahlali Secretary) on 071 424 2815 or at the Abahlali office
on 031 3046420.

http://www.abahlali.org
http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/

http://www.antieviction.org.za

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS

* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.