The most recent articles
The most recent articles
Golden Highway blockaded in Orange Farm
This week has opened with furious defensive statements from the ANC Youth League against the weekend’s media reports about the lavish lifestyle of its president and the millions he has made from tenders awarded to companies he has interests in. Our response to this news cannot just be of disgust at the self-enrichment of those individuals in positions of political influence. Neither can our response be plaintive calls for public officials to account for the vanishing funds. Instead, we can only resist the underdevelopment of poor communities that this culture of greed is causing. These are called protests against the lack of service delivery. But more than that, these are protests against the corruption of development projects opened by privatisation and pursued by the tenderpreneur class. The tendering system to deliver services is only empowering a few at the expense of community upliftment.
Remembering Dennis Brutus
Saturday, 23rd January 2010
13h00 – 14h30
2nd Floor, Khanya College (House Of Movements/Vogas House, 123 Pritchard St, Corner Mooi Street, Johannesburg)
RSVP (by Thursday 21st January): Mpumi Cebekhulu - mpumi.cebekhuluATkhanyacollegeDOTorg.za
(Note: Underground parking is available)
Stop the evictions in Itireleng
On Monday (11th January) over 1000 families in two sections of the Itireleng shack settlement, situated between Atteridgeville and Laudium in the Tshwane region, were brutally evicted by a combined force of Red Ants and the Tshwane Metro Police. During the eviction, the residents were attacked were batons, rubber bullets and some residents reported that live ammunition was also used. As a result, 49 people were injured, several seriously. All the evicted residents were left without any shelter and the majority have been camping by the side of the road for the last two days.
We mourn the passing of Dennis Brutus and celebrate his incredible life
The Anti-Privatisation Forum and all of its 30+ community affiliates, are saddened by the passing away of comrade Dennis Vincent Brutus earlier today in Cape Town. Comrade Dennis passed away in his sleep, aged 85. At the same time, we celebrate his incredible life of literary, intellectual and activist principle and commitment to justice and equality for all.
struggle continues NOV 2009
in .pdf - 365kb
Constitutional Court rules against Phiri
JUDGMENT SHOWS A LAZY LEGALISM AND COMPLETELY BIASED AND CONTRADICTORY REASONING IN RULING THAT FREE BASIC WATER POLICY IS ‘REASONABLE’ AND PRE-PAID WATER METERS ARE ‘LAWFUL’
In Defence of Democracy
The first few months of the Zuma Presidency has not interrupted the war on the poor. What took place last week in Kennedy Road, Durban, is rather signaling that the violence deployed against organisations of the poor is being escalated. A meeting of the Abahlali baseMjondolo (ABM) affiliate, Kennedy Road Development Committee (KRDC), on Sunday September 27th , was attacked by a militia, killing comrades Mthokozisi Ndlovu and Ndumiso Mnguni. The office of Abahlali and fifteen homes belonging to leading members of the movement were demolished before the attack and several of the ABM’s leaders remain in hiding. Over a thousand, mostly Xhosa-speaking residents, were also forced to flee their homes.
Film release: Amanzi Ngawethu / Water is Ours (2009)
A six-year legal battle for water rights in South African culminated in the Constitutional Court hearing of the case on 2nd Sept. The Amanzi Ngawethu documentary video was released worldwide in solidarity on the same day.
Amanzi Ngawethu (Water is Ours) is spreading the word about a critical moment for water struggles in South Africa.
Phiri Water Rights Case Heads to the Constitutional Court on 2 and 3 September 2009
Centre for Applied Legal Studies Press Statement 26 August 2009
The Mazibuko appeal against the SCA judgment of 30 April 2009 will be heard in the Constitutional Court, where the applicants will argue that prepayment water meters in Phiri should be declared unlawful, and that the City’s Free Basic Water policy is insufficient to meet the basic needs of poor Phiri households.
