Reject Abahlali base Mjondolo’s call for violence and chaos! Masingavumeli ikhwelo laBahlali base Mjondolo lokuthi kubekho ungaziphathi kakuhle ekuhlaleni!

COSATU Khayelitsha, The Treatment Action Campaign, the Social Justice Coalition and Equal Education have for years worked seriously in Khayelitsha and elsewhere. We have never advocated stone-throwing or promoted violence. Our members work patiently, educate themselves and build local leadership to change the system of inequality. We ask all progressive people in churches, clinics, schools, universities, homes, and local organisations (in Khayelitsha and elsewhere) to distance themselves from mindless violence and calls for chaos that harm the poor and working class and their organisations.

(Xhosa version also available)

Joint statement from COSATU Khayelitsha, Treatment Action Campaign, Social Justice Coalition and Equal Education.

1. The need for mass organisation to overcome social inequality has never been greater.

2. In 1994 African and Coloured poor and working-class townships and rural areas celebrated freedom from White rule. The hope that hunger, unemployment, the bucket toilet system, apartheid education and homelessness would be addressed as a permanent priority of government lived in people’s hearts. It was hoped that health services would be improved and income inequality reduced.

3. We know that freedom has brought many improvements. Millions of people gained access to welfare grants, water, homes and clinics. We can march peacefully to our elected Parliament without being shot. We can join unions and organisations. We can go to the courts against evictions and for HIV treatment. These are some of the great gains that we must defend and advance. But the government has not made the needs of urban and rural working-class and poor people its priority.

4. Twenty years after the release of President Mandela and his comrades, and the unbanning of the ANC, and sixteen years after political freedom, income inequality is worse than ever before. More people than ever have no jobs, the indignity of the bucket system and toilets in the bushes continues, and education inequality and ill-health remain a part of the system of government and South African capitalism. As a result our sons and daughters turn to alcoholism, drugs and crime. They terrorise their families, neighbours and communities.

5. Meanwhile black and white capitalists, ex-homeland bureaucrats and other elements of a predatory elite are using the ANC to take the wealth of the country for themselves and keep it from poor and working-class communities. At local, provincial and national level, government protects and promotes corrupt, lazy and incompetent “managers”. The bosses have the greatest freedom capitalists have ever had in South Africa and pay the lowest taxes.

6. People are angry across our country and in every community. Anger is justified because government is abusing our trust and vote. Many people say: “Life cannot continue in this way.” Others take to the streets in protest that sometimes turns violent. We know that mindless violence and chaos have never brought freedom, decent jobs and a better life. Freedom and social equality comes through patient organisation, education and sustained struggle. It comes through building the collective power of communities.

7. The struggle for social equality and justice requires serious organisation and a clear programme for change. It requires collective leadership with the understanding required to lead millions of people over years, not a few hundred who throw stones for a few days and become cannon-fodder for self-appointed leaders.

8. Most people in Khayelitsha do not have decent jobs. Almost half are unemployed or are in casualised and badly paid domestic, shop and service work. In Khayelitsha there is a small middle-class comprising teachers, book-keepers and nurses most of whom support large unemployed families. The majority of people in Khayelitsha are supported by these remittances, welfare grants and informal sector work such as taverns, fruit stalls and spazas. Almost everyone in Khayelitsha relies on taxis, buses and trains.

9. A few weeks ago Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape, supported by some elements of the ANC Youth League and other community organisations, called for a “general-strike of informal settlements” to bring production in factories and shops to a standstill. They proposed to make the City “ungovernable” and cause “chaos throughout the City”. They openly encouraged residents to burn tyres, block roads and throw stones and rubbish. This call is immature, ignorant and shows contempt for our communities. The poor and working-class people of Khayelitsha cannot advance their struggle in this way. To build their own power they need patient organisation and unity with people from Cape Town to Mitchell’s Plein, Gugulethu to Manenberg.

10. For more than two weeks now, the actions of Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape have punished poor and working-class people in Khayelitsha. They have encouraged the police to become a law unto themselves and have prevented services such as refuse collection and water maintenance. Ambulance and fire services – already over-stretched – could not reach affected areas, or had to deal with “barricades” and attacks from protestors hurling stones.

11. In the name of Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape, young unemployed people are being used to intimidate their communities but this has failed to bring anything to a “standstill”. At most it has inconvenienced and endangered workers and the unemployed who use public transport including many elderly people and motorists.

12. The irresponsible actions of Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape are helping the state to criminalise struggle and dissent. They are strengthening the attacks on working class organisations by Helen Zille, Dan Plato and the national government’s police, army and intelligence agencies; allowing them to use the argument of “maintaining law and order” while inequality remains unchanged. Working class people, informal traders and Khayelitsha residents need to be able to get to work and access services and hence many will sympathise with this call for “law and order”. In this way Abahlali’s false militancy divides the poor and working class and weakens organisation and real struggle.

13. COSATU Khayelitsha, The Treatment Action Campaign, the Social Justice Coalition and Equal Education have for years worked seriously in Khayelitsha and elsewhere. We have never advocated stone-throwing or promoted violence. Our members work patiently, educate themselves and build local leadership to change the system of inequality. We ask all progressive people in churches, clinics, schools, universities, homes, and local organisations (in Khayelitsha and elsewhere) to distance themselves from mindless violence and calls for chaos that harm the poor and working class and their organisations.

For comment please contact:
Mandla Majola: 0827488371
Monde Nqulwana: 0739003887
Yoliswa Dwane: 0723427747
Angy Peter: 0783714147

Masingavumeli ikhwelo laBahlali baseMjondolo lokuthi kubekho
ukungaziphathi kakuhle ekuhlaleni!

1. Imfuneko yokugaya abantu ngobuninzi babo inkulu kakhulu sizokuphelisa ukungalingani ezindaweni zethu zalapha kweli.

2. Ngonyaka ka 1994 uhlanga olumnyama oluhlala ezilokishini nasezilalini lwabhiyozela inkululeko kwingcinezelo yabamhlophe. Sasinethemba lokuba indlala, iithoyilethi zamabhakethi, imfundo yengcinezelo (Bantu Education), nokungabinamakhaya, zonke ezingxaki zokusonjulululwa ngu Rhulumente zibe phambili kwinqubo kaRhulumente. Sasithembe ukuba ezempilo ziyakuphuhla nokungalingani kwemirholo iyakuncitshiswa.

3. Siyazi ukuba inkululeko izise iinguqu ezininzi. Izigidi zabantu zifumana isibonelelo
sikaRhulumente, amanzi, izindlu neekliniki. Singamatsha ngocwangco nangoxolo sisisa amaxwebu ezikhalazo zethu e- Palamente singadutyulwa mntu. Siyakwazi ukuba yinxaleye yembumba yabasebenzi nabahlali. Singakwazi ukuya kwiinkundla zamatyala ngelikhaba ukugxothwa emihlabeni nakwindawo esihlala kuzo, kwakunye nokwenzela sifumane unyango lwentsholongwane ugawulwayo. Ezi zezinye zeempumelelo ekumele siziziphuhlise kwaye sizikhusele. Nangona uRhulumente angakhange azibeke phambili iimfuno zabantu abahlala ezilokishini, abasebenzi, nabantu abahluphekileyo.

4. Emva kweminyaka engamashumi amabini uMongameli u- Mandela namaqabane akhe bakhululeka entolongweni, neminyaka elushumi elinantandathu emva kwenkululeko, imirholo yabantu ayilingani ngakumbi kunangaphambili, uninzi lwabantu alunamisebenzi, ukuhliselwa kwesidima sabantu ngokunikwa amabhakethi ukuba bawasebenzise njengezindlu zangasese nokukuqhubekeka kwabantu abanganazi- thoyilethi ezizizo nabathi baye ngasese ematyholweni, nokungalingani kwemfundo nokuhlala phantsi kwempilo emaxongo, ezi zisaqhubeka ukuba ziingxaki esinazo kuRhulumente nobudlagusha eMzantsi Afrika. Iziphumo zezokuba oonyana neentombi zethu babhenele ebunxileni, kwiziyobisi, nakubundlobongela. Bahlukumeza amakhaya ethu, abamelwane nasekuhlaneni.

5. Noxanje Amadlagusha amnyama namhlophe eli, abo babephezulu kooRhulumente bangaphambili noohlohle sakhe basebenzisa lombutho we ANC ukuhlohla izisu zabo bathatha obubutyebi ezandleni zabantu abahluphekileyo nabazenzi. URhulumente ukhuthaza ekwakhusela abaphathi bakhe abanqenayo, abangazi ukusebenza nabanobuqhophololo. Ababaphathi baneyona inkululeko inkulu nawo lamadlagusha alapha kweli loMzantsi bekwabhatalwa eyona irhafu eyona yancinci.

6. Abantu beli banengqumbo. Lengqumbo inesizathu ikwavakala ngoba uRhulumente uyasihlukumeza, esidanisile kuba besimthembile wasiphoxa kwii- voti zethu. Uluntu oluninzi luthi “Ubomi abunokuqhubeka ngoluhlobo”. Abanye baya ezindleleni beyokutoyitoya bekhalaza okuthi ngamanye amaxesha ezitoyitoyi ziphela ngobundlobongela. Siyazi ukuba ubundlobongela nogxobhagxobho aluzange lwazisa nkululeko, imisebenzi engcono nobomi obungcono. Inkululeko ukulungana ekuhlaleni luza xa siqokolelana ngononophelo nokuthozama sibe zimbumba, sifundisana sikwazabalaza singajiki. Iza ngokubumba sakhe sibe namandla ekuhlaleni.

7. Umzabalazo wokungalingani ngokwentlalo yoluntu lufuna uzicwangciso eziqinisekileyo nenkqubo yotshintsho lufuna isikhokelo esiluqilima nesikwazi ukukhokela izigidingezigidi zabantu hayi igcuntswana, elizimisele ukugxobhagxobha inzame zabantu zokulwela impilo engcono ngokuthi igibisele amatye kwintsuku ezimbalwa bengenazinjongo eziphucukileyo bekwasetyenziswa ngabobazityumbileyo bucala ukuba bebezinkokheli bengameli’imfuno zokuhlala.

8. Uninzilwabantu eKhayelitsha alunamisebenzi kwaye nabobanimesebenzi basebenza kwiindawo ezingaphucukanga nezingabhatala imali engekhosegangathweni njengonookhitshi kunyenabobasenza ezivenkiileni. Apha eKhayelitsha sinalo igcuntswana labobaphangela ngcono nabaxhasa abo bangaphangeliyo kumakhaya abo. Uninzi loluntu eKhayelitsha luxhaswangesibonelelo sikaRhulumente kunye nosomashishini basekuhlaleni njengonozimokolo nonomarike. EKhayelitsha uninzi lwabantu lusebenzisa izithuthi zikawonkewonke ukuya emisebenzini.

9. Kwiiveki ezimbalwa ezidlulileyo umbutho obizwaAbahlalibaseMjondolo kwelileNtshonaKoloni, bencediswa ngabambalwa abazibiza njengamalungu e- ANCYL, baye bahlaba ukhwelo oluthi “uqhankqalazo ematyotyombeni” besithi bafuna “yonke into ime ngxi kwaye neemisebenzi neevenkile zingasebenzi”. Bathi bafuna isixeko “singalawuleki” kwaye bagrogrisa “ngokugxobhagxoba kusosonke
isixeko”.Bakhuthazengokuphandle abahlali ukuba batshise amavili emoto, bavale imigaqo, begibisela amatye kwaye bechitha inkukuma endleleni. Elikhwelo alincedi kwaye libonisa ukungakhatheleli abahlali. Abahlali baseKhayelitsha abanakulwela impilo engcono ngoluhlobo.

10. Kungapha kweeveki ezimbini ngoku, izenzo zeqela laBahlalibaseMjondolo kwelileNtshonaKoloni bangcungcuthekisa abantu abahluphekayo eKhayelitsha, ezizenzo zenze abakwantsasana babengqwabalala ebantwini kwaye bavalela ukuqhubekeka kweenkonzo zikaRhulumente ekuhlaleni.

11. Egameni laBahlalibaseMjondolo eNtshonaKoloni, ulutsha olunganamisebenzi lusetyenziswa ukugrogrisa nokungcungcuthekisa abantu bokuhlala. Kodwa konke oku khangekuphumelisento ngoba izinto ekuhlaleni zangezimengxi! Eyona nto iyenzileyo kuphazamisa kwaye, bebeka ubomi babasebenzi nabantu abasebenzisa izithuthi zika wonkewonke esichengeni. Lonto ichaphazele neengwevu nabaqhubizithuthi.

12. Ukungakhathali nobundlobongela baBahlali BaseMjondolo baseMpuma Koloni anceda uRhulumente ukuba awutshutshise njengesihange umzalabalazo wethu nabathi bangavumelani naye. Baqinisa uhlaselo lwemibutho yabahluphekileyo nabasebenzi ngabantu abanjengo Helen Zille, Dan Plato, amapolisa, amajoni noongqondongqondo bakaRhulumente, bebavumela ukuba basebenzise iintetho ezithi “baqinisikisa ukuba kukho ucwangco nomthetho” noxa nje ukungalingani kungakatshintshwa. Abahlali abaninzi, abathengisi, nabasenzi baseKhayelitsha bafuneka bephangele befumene neenkonzo zikaRhulumente bakuye bavumelane nesimemezo “soncwangco nomthetho”. Ngoluhlobo ubugagu obungewuwo baBahlali BaseMjondolo bohlula abantu bethu betyhafisa imbumba yabantu nomzabalazo.

13. Imibutho U COSATU Khayelitsha, Treatment Action Campaign, Social Justice Coalition no Equal Education basenze iminyaka ngokuzimisela e-Khayelitsha nakwezinye iindawo. Asizange zakhupha isimemo sokukhuthaza ubundlobongela nokuxulutywa kwamatye. Sisebenza sinesineke, gokuzifundisa ngomzabalazo, nokwakhwa uqilima lwenkokheli zasekuhlaleni sizokutshintsha ukungalingani kweli. Simema sibongonza bonke abantu abanengqubela abazezinkonzweni, ezikliniki, ezikolweni, ezidyunivesiti, emakhaya, kwimibutho yokuhlala ukuba bachasele kubundlobongongela nesimemezo zokumosha esonakalisa abahluphekileyo nendawo zabo kunye nemibutho yabo.

SI- Sayiniwe ngu: COSATU Khayelitsha, TAC, SJC and EE

Ukufumana iinkcukacha ezithe vetshe qhagamshelana no:

Mandla Majola: 0827488371
Monde Nqulwana: 0739003887
Yoliswa Dwane: 0723427747
Angy Peter: 0783714147