SOUTH AFRICA: KENSINGTON 87 DUE IN COURT

ANTI-PRIVATISATION FORUM
PRESS STATEMENT (Monday 20th January 2003)
Kensington 87 to appear in court for the fifth time!
South African government continues its campaign of harassing community activists and criminalising legitimate democratic struggles !
On Wednesday, 22nd January (from 9am), the 87 members of the Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee & the Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) who were arrested on 6th April 2002 will be making their fifth appearance in the Jeppe Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg. Popularly known as the ‘Kensington 87’, these activists were arrested for protesting water and electricity cut-offs in their communities, linked to the ANC government’s programme of privatisation of basic services, outside the house of ANC Johannesburg Mayor, Amos Masondo.
As is now well known, Masondo’s bodyguard (who has never been charged), without provocation, fired live rounds at the activists who had gathered peacefully outside the Mayor’s house. Consistent with the ANC government’s policy of trying to ‘kill’ the messenger instead of listening to the message, the activists were subsequently rounded-up, arrested and charged with public violence, malicious damage to property and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Despite the fact that there was/is no basis in fact for such ludicrous charges, ANC politicians have continued to place behind-the-scenes pressure to pursue the charges for clearly political purposes.
The case against the Kensington 87 has now dragged on for almost a year. During this time, hundreds of such activists from the APF, the Anti-Eviction Campaign and other social movement organisations have been harassed, arrested and detained for various lengths of time as a result of their struggles for basic people’s rights and needs. None of the charges levelled against these activists have held up in court, a clear indication that the ANC government is simply engaged in a systematic drive to intimidate, harass and delegitimise the activities of those South Africans who would dare take democracy seriously.
Their supposed crime? Exercising their rights to freedom of expression, assembly and dissent aimed at exposing and halting the implementation of ANC government policies that are devastating the lives of the majority of South Africans, the poor. For the ANC government, the presence and activity of well-informed, organised and critically-minded social movements that seek fundamental changes to the capitalist socio-economic relations and policies that are ruining their lives, is seen and treated as a political threat that must be smashed.
While ANC and government leaders speak loudly and proudly about democracy, people’s rights, the elimination of poverty and sustainable development, they continue to criminalise (both individually and collectively) those who actively seek to give concrete meaning to these key challenges facing the vast majority of South Africans. They do so because they are afraid of what might happen to their historic support base if the majority of workers and poor begin to act in their own class interests. They do so because they are committed to a capitalist system in which basic human rights and needs have become the privilege of the few.
On Wednesday, the Kensington 87 will, once again, go to court in the knowledge that they are part of legitimate and popular struggles, both here in South Africa and internationally. Those struggles will continue with increased intensity and commitment. The voices of the people will not be silenced!
For further information contact:
Dale McKinley on 072 429-4086
Visit the updated APF website at http://www.apf.org.za