Several injured as protests revisit eThekwini council
Abahlali demand answers to their memo grievances
Fresh clashes between Abahlali baseMjondolo and the eThekwini municipality have left 14 activists seriously injured.
That’s according to the shack dwellers’ movement‚ which also marched on the municipality two weeks ago.
The movement‚ the largest of its kind in the country‚ was highly critical about alleged “heavy-handedness” of the police following clashes yesterday.
They also blame mayor Zandile Gumede for their coming “under armed attack”.
Last week, Abahlali expressed outrage at the city’s R20-million plan to buy four Casspir military vehicles to deal with wildcat protests.
They argued that the city intended to use the vehicles to control them.
“This marks an unacceptable escalation of the local state’s increasingly repressive and intolerant response‚” Abahlali said in a statement.
The latest clashes were triggered by an impromptu protest action by Abahlali demanding answers from the city to their memorandum of grievances handed over last week.
The conflict between the municipality and Abahlali baseMjondolo is well documented over the past 12 years.
Their memorandum called on the city to respond in seven days to a litany of demands or further protest would follow.
“More than seven days have passed and there has been no response to our grievances,” said Blessing Nyuswa‚ an Abahlali spokesman.
“This is the politics of contempt. As a result we have taken to the streets‚ across the city‚ in defence of our dignity‚ our land‚ our homes‚ our right to the city and our future.”
She said the response had been brutal‚ leading to 14 activists being seriously injured by the police.
“They are currently in King Dinizulu Hospital. At least four activists have been arrested, one of them is also seriously injured‚” said Nyuswa.
“The political leadership has refused to engage us and have instead chosen to send out the police to repress us‚” she said.
Mayoral spokesman Mthunzi Gumede dismissed Abahlali’s claim that the city’s mayor was “attacking” them.
“Everyone in South Africa has a right to protest‚ but that must be exercised without violating another person’s right or endangering nor destroying property‚” said Gumede.
‘ ‘ The political leadership has chosen to repress us