02
The Anti-Privatisation Forum condemns the way FIFA’s Local Organising Committee (LOC), Stallion Security and the police have brutalised the guards hired to provide security services at World Cup stadiums. Police have opened fire with ’rubber’ bullets to disperse guards who were protesting after Stallion told them that they would not be paid what had been promised to them. The workers had a legitimate grievance and therefore had the right to express their discontent about their remunerations. Whatever the contract the company had with the LOC, it did not indicate that their personnel would be paid as little as the R190 they received. Some were promised as much as R1500 a day and clearly their hopes for employment during the World Cup were abused. After realizing that they had been misled, they did what it is their democratic right to do and protested peacefully. We therefore salute all the workers who were involved in this struggle. The company that hired them, together with the LOC and FIFA should be held responsible for the whole mess and they must be charged for bridging the employees’ contract. Poor people should not be taken for granted by the elites who are only reaping what they sowed.
The Anti-Privatisation Forum, a social movement with over 30 community affiliates expresses its full support and solidarity with the ongoing national strike by the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU).
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)
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.
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.
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.
On the 26th March, the day before we, the LPM youth, were to have our march to demand that our councilor step down, the Joburg Metro Police prohibited us. The reasons the police gave for this were that we are violent and unruly and that they “know” us.
Old skeletons are trembling in their closets as the traditional weapons of South African political play are sharpened at this time of elections. The split in the ruling party has done little to pacify the grudge match between the IFP and the ANC in Nongoma in KwaZulu-Natal. Instead, Cope’s emergence has opened another front for beatings and intimidation between the sparring partners. Cope members in East London have been left to wonder “if the ANC is declaring war on us.” And amongst the APF’s own affiliates, the office of the Kliptown Concerned Residents was broken into. Electioneering material for the organisation’s 28 January by-election campaign in the ward were removed by unknown ‘comrade tsotsis.’
05-02-2009
Johannesburg. The Johannesburg Region of the Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) supports the strike by the South African Municipality Workers Union (SAMWU) and its call for the suspension of Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) chief, Chris Ncgobo and other senior officials within the JMPD. The APF-JHB further calls for the suspension of Mayoral Committee member for safety and security, Clr Phakathi, for his failure to track down corruption and the violation of human rights by the JMPD.
EQUAL RIGHTS & HOUSING FOR ALL!
en Solidarity ?
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