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Communities to plan rolling mass action against ANC's forced removal plan
by IMC Durban
Monday, Dec. 09, 2002 at 8:05 PM
Communities from across Durban will converge on Settlers Primary School in Merebank on Wednesday 11th December 2002 at 6:30pm to plan a campaign of rolling mass action against the City‚s new relocation policies. Residents in South Durban who face increasing industrial expansion and pollution have found common cause with the poor of Chatsworth, Sydenham Heights and Umlazi, who face evictions for rental arrears and unpaid rates bills.
Indymedia Durban Press Statement
Tuesday 10th December 2002
10am
Communities to plan rolling mass action against ANC's forced removal plan
Communities from across Durban will converge on Settlers Primary School in Merebank on Wednesday 11th December 2002 at 6:30pm to plan a campaign of rolling mass action against the City‚s new relocation policies.
Residents in South Durban who face increasing industrial expansion and pollution have found common cause with the poor of Chatsworth, Sydenham Heights and Umlazi, who face evictions for rental arrears and unpaid rates bills.
“We are angry that the City Manager, Mike Sutcliffe, supports industrial expansion in South Durban at the expense of people who he says ‘are living in the wrong area’. This is forced removal in disguise. It is industry that needs to clean up or relocate away from people,” said
Wentworth Development Forum chairperson Desmond D’Sa.
Communities are angered that Mike Sutcliffe earns R1.3million per year, yet wants to evict pensioners who will never collect in a lifetime's worth of pensions what the City Manager earns in one month.
Brandon Pillay, Chairperson of the Bayview Flats Residents Association in Chatsworth, says that the community will never allow the Unicity to remove them to far-flung RDP houses. “We have overpaid for our poorly constructed flats through 20 years of high rents. Our current living conditions are appalling, but those ‘toilet’ homes are worse” said Pillay.
Zelda Norris of the Tenants Association of Sydenham Heights, says that the 360 families living there are angered that just after winning a battle in the Rental Tribunal against an additional levy which was imposed by council, a wall was erected cutting children off from the only playground they have.
‘Our park was privatized and we don‚t know why. Last weekend our children protested. Suddenly this week, fierce dogs were brought inside the park and razor wire was installed along the ground. This is a serious hazard for our toddlers. Mike Sutcliffe is victimizing us for knowing our rights, just as the apartheid City Managers did” said Norris.
Babyface Mzobe, Chairperson of the Umlazi Ratepayers and Residents Association says the community is experiencing a crisis of high water and electricity bills, disconnections and high rates bills that they are no longer prepared to tolerate.
Part of the campaign will include a meeting with the Landless Peoples Movement in Chatsworth on 12th December to plan joint initiatives with the rural poor.
KZN Concerned Citizens Forum Chairperson Dr Ashwin Desai says that the united communities will also form links with the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign and the Johannesburg Inner City Anti-Eviction Campaign, formed by residents from 20 buildings in Johannesburg this week after over 1000 residents were evicted from Armadale Flats on 20th November.
“We don't have any food, clothing, water or electricity. Our children cannot afford to go to school. And if we lose our homes, it is equivalent to losing our lives” said Desai.
.../ends
For comment call Ashwin Desai on 073 1584414 or Brandon
Pillay on 072 203 7746
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