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| Martha Chofe & her son with her shack illegally destroyed by the Land Invasions Unit at the Marikana land Occupation on 10 September 2014 |
Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
Evictions at the Chris Hani (eNsimbini) and Marikana (Cato
Crest) Land Occupations
At ten o’clock this morning five shacks were demolished by
the Land Invasions Unit in the Chris Hani Land Occupation in eNsimbini. This
land was occupied in February last year. The shacks that were demolished are
new shacks that were built about two weeks ago by people that were renting
nearby and decided to join the occupation to avoid having to pay rent. As usual
there was no court order authorising these evictions and they were, therefore,
an illegal and criminal act on the part of the eThekwini Municipality. The
residents of these new shacks were at work when the eviction happened and so
there was no confrontation.
On Wednesday eleven shacks were demolished in the Nqobile
section of the Marikana Land Occupation in Cato Crest. These shacks were built
in May. This eviction happened as a result of a complaint by a private
businessman located near to the occupation.
The Land Invasions Unit came with heavy security. Ndabo
Mzimela tried to ask them to show a court order authorising the eviction. He
was pointed with a fireman and told that he would be shot if he came any nearer
because he was ‘being rude’. There was no court order and these evictions were
also illegal and criminal acts on the part of the eThekwini Municipality. As
everybody knows three people have been murdered (two by the izinkabi and one by
the police) since this land was occupied in May last year.
Corruption continues to run free in the housing project in
Cato Crest. On Sunday government flats were being allocated. The CLO was
supposed to do this job but instead it was done by the head of the area
committee which is also an ANC committee. She allocated three flats to her
family members, who are also ANC members. At this point angry residents (who
are not members of our movement) stopped the process. This corruption has been
going on for years and is at the root of many of the tensions in the area.
At our City Wide Land Summit held in May this year we agreed
that no court, political party or government policy will guarantee us land,
build our power or give us control over our own lives and communities. It is
sometimes important to engage the courts, elections or policy formulation on a
tactical basis but the only force that we can rely on is the people’s force
which is also known as inkani. The shacks that have been demolished in the
Chris Hani and Marikana Land Occupations will be rebuilt with this force. The
land will be held with this force.
For as long as the government does not put the social value
of land before its commercial value we will continue to occupy land. Land
occupations are land reform from below.
For more information please contact:
Phumlani - eNsimibini: 081 333 5583
Khayakazi - Cato Crest: 078 179 5239
Ndabo Mzimela - Abahlali baseMjondolo Secretary General: 079
355 6758
