Poor people are not a threat to social order : The real threat comes from attempts to expel them from the city<BR>

http://www.abahlali.org/node/1636http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3904353

Poor people are not a threat to social order The real threat comes from attempts to expel them from the city

June 27, 2007 Edition 1

Imraan Buccus

This week academics from around the world arrive in Durban for a major international conference on poverty.

The conference will be opened by a high profile city official and would have been an ideal opportunity for Durban and KwaZulu-Natal to put their best foot forward. But instead delegates will arrive in the aftermath of the arrest of 500 street traders and a growing wave of international concern about the sudden passing of the Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Bill.

The mass arrests of the street traders and the Slums Bill are both clear indications that the city and the province are planning to deal with the poor by expelling them from the cities.

The most sober-minded critics are arguing that here in eThekwini and in KwaZulu-Natal we are beginning to see a slower and legislated version of Operation Murambatsvina, the notorious Operation Drive Out Trash, which drove street traders and shack dwellers out of Harare.

Within days of the Slums Bill being passed churches, NGOs, academics and the huge shack dwellers' movement, Abahlali baseMjondolo, were making plans to mount a major campaign against the Bill, which they argue is both immoral and unconstitutional.

Abahlali is already working with senior legal people to mount a constitutional challenge and some NGOs have already written to the United Nations seeking their intervention.

Transit

The Slums Bill makes it a criminal office for landowners to fail to evict squatters, makes it a criminal offence for squatters to oppose evictions and, perhaps most chillingly of all, provides for squatters to be moved to "transit camps". South Africa has a very, very poor history with "camps".

Now our nation's dignity is stained by the notorious Lindela camp for illegal immigrants. Lindela is a corrupt, violent and dangerous place that is regularly cited as a key violator of basic human rights in global reports.

If Lindela is such an appalling place it's not surprising that shack dwellers are talking about resisting moves to "transit camps" by all available means. In India, shack dwellers who were moved to "transit camps" in the 1960s are still there.

It is clear that in their desperate drive to produce "world class" cities, both the city and the province have decided that the easiest way to achieve this is by simply expelling the poor.

However, organisations of the poor are arguing that a world-class city is one that cares for the poor and makes policy decisions in consultation with them. There is no doubt that international academics coming to Durban this week to discuss poverty will take the second view.

Anything else is fundamentally inhumane and poli-tically very dubious in that it is likely to lead to major clashes with the police and general social instability. Both street traders and shack dwellers have clearly demonstrated that they will not take their expulsion from the city quietly.

We need to ask ourselves how things could have gone so badly wrong so quickly. A few years ago Durban's policy on street traders was consi-dered exemplary and the city won awards from the UN for its housing programme.

Now there is a more or less complete breakdown between the city and its poor, a breakdown that is certain to be internationally condemned. Some have suggested that this breakdown is because we are now quite close to 2010 and that this is the reason for the attempts to drive the poor out of the city.

Anger

If this is indeed the case there is every possibility that a massive police operation will be needed to protect the World Cup from the legitimate and desperate anger of poor people whose livelihoods and communities have been destroyed in order to make the city "look good" for foreign football fans.

If it does happen that the beautiful game has to be played with a ring of police officers protecting it, not from criminals, but from the anger of ordinary people, our city will be remembered across the world in an extremely negative way. We're certain to suffer major embarrassment at this week's poverty conference. Let's hope that our officials and representatives see reason and change course before 2010.

Seeing reason and changing course will require the development of a different conception of citizenship. Right now there is an implicit assumption that "real" citi-zenship is for people with access to the "formal" part of the city.

People who, through no fault of their own, have to make their lives in the "informal economy" are implicitly seen as invaders and a threat to the city.

But people living in shacks and trading in the streets are simply trying to make a life for themselves and for their families. They are not a threat to the social order. The real threat comes from attempts to expel them from the city.

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Shack dwellers threaten mass action

June 22, 2007 Edition 1

Bongani Mthembu

Shack dwellers have threatened to organise massive disruptive protests in major cities if the KwaZulu-Natal government implements the legislation that seeks to eliminate slums in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Bill was approved by the provincial government yesterday. The government believes that the legislation will prevent the proliferation of slums in urban areas.

While the government promises to find alternative housing for nearly 500 000 people who live in informal settlements during the process of eliminating slums, Abahlali Basemjondolo, an organisation representing shack dwellers, believes the Act is an attempt to evict people from land they live on and buildings they live in.

Fight

Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, Abahali Basemjondolo chairman, S'bu Zikode vowed to fight the government in court and in the streets if it implemented the act.

"We will fight this Bill in the courts. We will fight this Bill in the streets. We will not be driven out of our cities as if we were rubbish," he said.

Addressing members of parliament yesterday, Minister of Local Government Mike Mabuyakhulu said the aim of the act was not to evict people from where they live the way the apartheid government did.

He said the act seeks to deal with shack lords who rented shacks. "These unscrupulous people practice what is called 'shack farming', where they own a number of informal settlements and charge people exorbitant rents," he said.

He added that the Act would also help speed up the process of improving the lives of people through the provision of decent housing.

Residents left destitute as blaze guts 46 shacks

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http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3904433

The day before the Seaboard Hotel fire drama, firemen and paramedics were out dealing with a major blaze in Lamontville's Sihlahla Road that raged through an informal settlement, destroying more than 40 shacks.

The midday fire started when a resident left his electric stove on while he went to visit friends on Sunday, unaware that it was overheating, which caused a fire.

The settlement was largely deserted at the time of the blaze. Residents returned home later to find that their dwellings and possessions had been reduced to ashes.

Grade 11 pupil Zanele Majavu, 18, who shared a shack in the area, said she was at a friend's house studying when she received a call telling her to rush home because "everything was burning down".

"All our belongings are gone; I lost my school books, my uniform and my cellphone. We could only salvage a few dishes, stove, radio and a small suitcase with a few of our things," Majavu said.

Mamyeketsi Sekhoacha, another Sihlahla Road resident, was left with only the clothes on her back.

"I was in town when the fire started, and by the time I got back everything was gone, we couldn't save anything. All we have left are the clothes we are wearing," she said.

Most of her neighbours were now sleeping in the open, afraid to leave their belongings in case they were stolen.

Some, however, have been given shelter temporarily at a nearby hall.

Social Welfare Department head James Mlawu said that affected families would be counselled, and pupils would be helped by providing them with uniforms.

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http://www.abahlali.org/node/1634 http://www.isolezwe.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3897169

Imijondolo 'izoba umlando' KwaZulu-Natal

ISIFUNDAZWE iKwaZulu-Natal sibe ngesokuqala kuleli ukuphasisa umthetho ohlose ukuqeda nya ukuvumbuka kwemijondolo emisha kulesi sifundazwe izolo.

Lo mthetho obizwa ngeKwaZulu-Natal, Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Act, wethulwe phambi kwesiShayamthetho nguNgqongqoshe weZezindlu, uMnuz Mike Mabuyakhulu (osesithombeni). Ugcine ukwazile ukuphasiswa yize izinhlangano zabahlali basemijondolo bezisabise ngokuthi lolu daba zizolufaka enkantolo.

Izolo kuvele ukuthi bangaphezulu kuka-350 000 abantu abahlala emijondolo kulesi sifundazwe, kanti ingxenye yabo yilabo abasedolobheni eThekwini. Kuthiwa laba bantu akufanele bande kulesi sifundazwe, yingakho kufinyelelwe esivumelwaneni sokuthi akuncishiswe ukwanda kwabo.

Lo Mnyango kaMabuyakhulu uthi uzimisele ukwenza ngcono isimo senhlalo yabantu nokufeza iphupho lokuqeda imijondolo ngonyaka ka-2014.

Wonke amaqembu kwisiShayamthetho avumelene ngazwi linye ukuthi lo mthetho uzosiza ngokuvimbela ukungena ngodli emihlabeni okungafanele usetshenziswe.

"Ngemuva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha kuyomele omasipala bakwazi ukuthi babe nohla lwemijondolo yabantu abahlala kuyona ukuze sisazi isibalo sayo futhi sikwazi nokuthi sihlele kahle uhlahlo lwezimali," kusho uMabuyakhulu.

Uzwakalise nokwethemba ukuthi lo mthetho uzoba wusizo kulesi sifundazwe, wagcizelela ukuthi awuhlosile ukuhlukumeza abantu kodwa uhlose ukwenza ngcono ilungelo labo eliqukethwe kuMthethosisekelo, lokuthi wonke umuntu unelungelo lokukhosela endaweni ephephile.

"Lo mthetho ukhombisa ukukhula nokuthi uhulumeni walesi sifundazwe uzimisele ngokunakekela abantu nokuthi uphucule izindawo ezihlala abantu kulesi sifundazwe" kusho ilungu lesiShayamthetho elimele iNadeco, uSolwazi Jabulani Maphalala.

Eqhuba uSolwazi uthe kufanele kubuye kubuyekezwe indlela izindlu zemixhaso ezinikwa abantu ezakhiwa ngayo, ukuthi abantu banezingane nazo ziyakhula "ziyathomba" nokudinga ukuthi nazo zibe nendawo zokuhlala.

Kanjalo ne-IFP ne-DA abazange bawuphikise lo mthetho.

Phezu kokuba lo mthetho uhlose ekuvimbeni ukuvumbuka kwemijondolo emisha, uphinde uphokophele ekuqedeni naleyo ekhona kumanje.

Okhulumela inhlangano ebizwa ngokuthi Abahlali baseMijondolo, uMnuz Sbu Zikode, uthe kuyacaca ukuthi iziphakamiso zabo zishaywe indiva njengoba lo mthetho uphasisiwe ngaphandle kwemibandela, nokho waveza ukuthi basazohlala phansi balubheke lolu daba.

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http://www.abahlali.org/node/1633http://www.isolezwe.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3895535

Bafuna ukuvikela imijondolo Abahlali Kwanele Ncalane

INHLANGANO emele abahlali basezindaweni eziyimijondolo eyaziwa ngokuthi Abahlali baseMijondolo, isisabise ngokuthi izothathela uHulumeni waKwaZulu-Natal izinyathelo zomthetho uma kuwukuthi namuhla isiShayamthetho sesifundazwe siyawuphasisa umthetho okuhloswe ngawo ukuthi kuqedwe nya ukwakhiwa kwemijondolo.

Izolo le nhlangano uzwakalise ukuthi izophuma nxa zonke ukulwisana nokuphasiswa komthethosivivinyo, i-Elimination and Prevention of the Re-emergence of Slums Bill.

Lo mthetho kulindeleke ukuthi namuhla udingidwe ngamalungu esiShayamthetho, bese uyavotelwa kanti abukeka emaningi amathuba okuthi uphasiswe.

Ngokusho kukaMengameli wale nhlangano (Abahlali baseMjondolo), uMnuz Sbu Zikode, kabahambisani nalo mthetho wathi uhlose ukuzobahlukumeza njengabahlali.

"Okubuhlungu ngalo mthetho wukuthi ulimaza amalungelo abahlali futhi uyashayisana nomthethosisekelo wezwe. Thina bahlali asizange sithintwe, kunalokho sitshelwe ukuthi sizoya ePhalamende kusasa ukuyobukela. Sizokwenza konke okusemandleni ukuthi lo mthetho ungaqhubeki," kusho uZikode.

Uqhube wathi kumanje lolu daba sebevele sebeluthathile balubeka ezithebeni zabameli babo, nanti zikhona nezincwadi abathi sebezibhalele uMnyango wezeZindlu oholwa nguNgqongqoshe uMnuz Mike Mabuyakhulu (osesithombeni).

Ngokusho koMnyango kaMabuyakhulu, lo mthetho kuhloswe ngawo ukuthi kushabalaliswe yonke imijondolo futhi kunqandwe nokuvumbuka kwemisha.

Isitatimende esithunyelwe nguMnyango izolo, siveza ukuthi lo mthetho uzobe ungowokuqala kuleli kanti uphokophele ekufezeni iphupho likaHulumeni lokuqeda imijondolo ngonyaka ka-2014.

Uma uphasa lo mthetho uzonikeza omasipala ilungelo lokubheka isibalo semijondolo engaphansi kwayo kanti umnyango usamile ekuqhubekeni nokwakha izindlu ezisezingeni, ukuphucula izimpilo zabantu.

http://www.abahlali.org/node/1637

http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=389623

http://www.abahlali.org/node/1637 http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3905354

Poor disrupt conference

June 27, 2007 Edition 1

Sharlene Packree

AN academic conference to address world poverty was marred yesterday when a group of angry protesters demonstrated over their exclusion from the meeting.

Disgruntled fishermen, street traders and shack dwellers stormed Durban's Elangeni Hotel and converged outside the hotel's main conference room, demanding that they be included in the programme.

Their screams and ululating were heard by the hundreds of delegates inside the hall who were attending the Poverty Challenge 2007 conference.

The protest began just as deputy mayor Logie Naidoo began his speech to welcome delegates to the city. The angry group, wearing blue T-shirts, also demanded that Naidoo leave the conference and listen to their concerns.

Community activist Ashwin Desai, who was a speaker at the conference, then addressed the group and called for representatives to come forward.

Hotel management called the police to control the rowdy crowd, who toyi-toyied while international tourists checked into the hotel.

Louise Motha [from Abahlali], a shack dweller, said she was angry that "rich academics" were having discussions on the issues that affected the poor.

Motha said that the poor should have been given a chance to speak at the conference and "not be discarded like rubbish".

"Traders cannot trade. Fishermen cannot fish. People live without water and electricity. How can people live like this? There are poor people everywhere and we need our voices to be heard," she said.

Desmond D'sa, from the Durban South Combined Alliance, said the poor were being pushed out of the city to make more space for the rich.

Philani Zuma, spokesman for the Abahlali Basemjondolo - a group that represents informal settlements - said the city's poor were the "experts of poverty" and should have been included in the conference.

The conference organisers will meet some of the protesters today to discuss their concerns.