South Africa: appeal for support for Umlazi occupation

                                                  DEMOCRATIC LEFT FRONT

www.democraticleft.za.net

02 July 2012


APPEAL FOR MATERIAL SUPPORT (TENTS AND MOBILE TOILETS) REQUIRED FOR THE EFFECTIVE OCCUPATION OF THE UMLAZI WARD COUNCILLOR’S OFFICE

The Democratic Left Front (DLF) fully endorses the call for support issued jointly by Abahlali BaseMjondolo (AbM) and the Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM) for the mass occupation of the Ward Councillor’s office in the Zakheleni shack settlement (in Ward 88 in Umlazi). This call for disciplined and peaceful occupation of the office is part of intensifying mass mobilisation and pressure against the Ward Councillor (Nomzamo Mkhize) and the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The community of Zakheleni want to use the occupation to turn the office into a people’s office that meets and services the needs of the local people. For the occupation, the UPM and AbM appeal for material support (tents and mobile toilets). The DLF appeals to all who can heed this call to provide the material support requested by the Zakheleni community. The community has also organised a mass clean-up of the office and its surroundings.

This occupation is being prepared as a potential follow-up to a meeting between the community and representatives of the eThekwini Region of the ANC, the Chairperson of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality Housing and Infrastructure Committee (Nigel Gumede,) and of the Department of Safety and Community Liason. This meeting is a response to ongoing community struggles for service delivery, housing, employment, access to land and recall of Nomzamo Mkhize as a Ward Councillor. However, this Wednesday meeting will not end mass mobilisation and pressure on the eThekwini municipality. The community has decided that to ensure that the Wednesday meeting is fruitful and its outcomes implemented, it must prepare for the planned peaceful and disciplined occupation.

ENQUIRIES:

Bandile Mdlalose (Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement Secretary-General)

Tel: 031 304 6420, Fax: 031 304 6436, Email: bandy.mdlalose@gmail.com & Cell: 071 424 2815

Website: www.abahlali.org

Bheki Buthelezi (UPM & DLF) – 072 639 9893


China Ngubane (R2K & DLF) – 072 651 9790

Mazibuko K. Jara (DLF) – 083 651 0271