We are all Andries Tatane

19 April 2012 – People against police brutality

What?           Interfaith Andries Tatane memorial ceremony, testimonial against police brutality, and march to Harare Police Station
When?          Sunday 22nd April 2012 at 12h30
Where?         Way of Life Church / Multi-purpose centre, Mandela Park, Khayelitsha
Directions?   Visit http://g.co/maps/ucmky or contact Moza @ 0791176943 / 0213672122

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We are all Andries Tatane!

There is a little bit of Andries Tatane in each and every one of us.

As he fought for service delivery for his community in Ficksburg, we fight for toilets, electricity, houses and land here in Cape Town.

As he lived in the hellish township of Meqheleng, many of us are stuck in hell-like conditions in Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Delft and Manenberg.

As he was attacked, shot, beaten and ultimately killed by police for standing up for what he believed in, many of us are at times also attacked, shot, beaten and a few of us have even been killed at their hands.

Services plan for backyard dwellers

September 7 2011 at 12:59pm – BRONWYNNE JOOSTE and CLAYTON BARNES – Cape Argus

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THE CITY of Cape Town’s plan to provide basic services to backyard residents has been met with mixed reaction.

Mayor Patricia de Lille launched the Backyard Essential Services Improvement Programme yesterday.

The pilot stage will start in Factreton next month and entails installing toilets and running water in structures in backyards.

Electricity would also be provided, and backyard residents would get their own wheelie bins. Other areas in the pilot phase are Hanover Park and Langa.

IOL: De Lille dodges backyarders meeting

06 Sep 2011 – IOL

De Lille dodges backyarders meeting

Landless peoples’ group Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) has accused Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille of running away from a meeting with “backyarders” in Khayelitsha on Tuesday.

The group said it had mobilised the “backyarders” in the township, and many were excited to meet De Lille.

The City of Cape Town however cancelled the meeting at the last minute out of fear for De Lille’s safety.

“People gathered outside the AbM office in Khayelitsha this morning,” the group said in a statement.

We march today in defiance of the City of Cape Town!

27 July 2011
Press Release by the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign

With or without the permit from the city, today, we will be marching first to the High Court and then to the offices of the City of Cape Town. In terms of the Gatherings Act, when we want to march, the law says we must notify the city and SAPS within 7 days. The law further suggests that if the city refuses to grant a permit they need to provide us with written reasons after meeting in person with the organisers of the march. The City has not fulfilled its legal obligations and therefore the march is 100% legal.

We are going to stick to the law and go ahead with our legal march as planned. It is up to the city if they want to make sure the relevant authorities are present during our march. Our march will be organised, peaceful and dignified. We expect the same from the authorities.

Time of gathering: 9am
Time at the Cape High Court: 10am
When court is over, we will go to the City’s offices

The ANC’s fast and furious parliamentary deliberation over the Info Bill, going through the motions

In the face of sustained opposition to the Protection of Information Bill (better known as the “protection of information from investigative journalism bill”), the ANC is pushing the speedometer needle well into the danger zone as it chases deadlines at breakneck speed. But the question remains: Will it swap its Ferrari for its trusted bulldozer in the end anyway? By T O MOLEFE.

Operating under obvious pressure from above, ANC MPs grew increasingly agitated during Tuesday’s meeting of the ad hoc committee on the Protection of Information Bill. The source of their annoyance was the slow progress on deliberating clauses in the bill, and accused DA and ACDP MPs of intentionally delaying progress.

Backyarders and others to us PAIA to demand government’s secrets about our communities

Backyarders Press Statement – 24 May 2011

The Mandela Park Backyarders will be going this morning to both the Provincial Department Housing and to the National Parliament this morning to submit a list of demands to access information about their community under the PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act).

Blog: Alternative campaigning in the Cape Town municipal elections

Blog: EnergyGeographies

What do communities do if politician after politician fails to deliver their election promises of new homes, electricity supply or clean water. On Saturday I joined activists in Cape Town who are articulating a new response to the crisis of service delivery in the city.

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It is early on Saturday morning in Khayelitsha, one of South Africa’s fastest growing townships located on the windswept and sandy Cape Flats area of Cape Town. Amongst the government constructed houses and informal settlements that make up the township the Cape Town of five star hotels and Michelin starred restaurants seems even further away than the 10 mile journey to get to this vibrant part of the city.

In South Africa, why many people in the township of Mandela Park refused to vote in today’s elections

Free Speech Radio News – Wed, 05/18/2011 – 13:09

** Click here to listen to the interview by FSRN **

• Length: 6:33 minutes (6 MB)
• Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 128Kbps (CBR)

South Africans have been voting today in local elections. The African National Congress (ANC) currently controls eight of the country’s nine provinces. But some observers say the ANC is facing the strongest opposition since the end of apartheid nearly 30 years ago. Jobs, housing, healthcare and the delivery of basic services have dominated the campaigning. One place where local people struggle to get basic services is Mandela Park, a township of about 20,000 people in Cape Town. In 2009, as a result of a housing crisis in their community, about half the people decided to join the “No Land! No House! No Vote!” campaign. The grassroots movement first started in 2004 and boycotts elections and party politics as a way of drawing attention to the ongoing lack of basic rights and services for poor people. Loyiso Mfuku represents “No Land! No House! No Vote” in Mandela Park.

Reminder: No Vote! events on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday

YOU CAN FOLLOW THE SATURDAY EVENT HERE:
http://riereta.net/gisschannel/itheora/index-mini.php?v=http://stream.giss.tv:8000/molotv.ogg&w=340&h=280

IF YOU CAN NOT SEE IT OPEN DIRECTLY THIS IN YOUR BROWSER:
http://giss.tv:8000/molotv.ogg

WE ARE RUNNING A BIT LATE, CHECK IT !

Friday 13 May 2011

Our communities are very busy organising our No Vote! events just in time for this year’s elections. We refuse to vote, not because we are lazy or apathetic as the media tends to claim.  Instead, we refuse to vote because our vote is to precious to give to corrupt politicians and political parties. Here are a list of the events with links and contacts:

1) 14th May >> Anti-Vote Election Summit held by the Mandela Park Backyarders at Andile Nhose >> Contact Loyiso @ 0737662078

2) 14th May >> No Dignity! No Vote! Why we won’t vote on the 18th of May held at KwaMlamli’s in Gugulethu >> Contact Mncedisi @ 0785808646

3) 16th May >> Launch at Book Lounge of “No Land! No House! No Vote!” and picket by Blikkiesdorp residents in front of Parliament >> Contact Sarita @ 0764699843

4) 17th May >> Protest by Gugulethu, KTC, Nyanga and Crossroads residents outside Fezeka Municipal Offices in Gugulethu >> Contct Zoliswa @ 0731496065 or Mncedisi @ 0785808646
For more on the No Land! No House! No Vote! Campaign, check out the wikipedia entry on the topic.

Power to the Poor People!

Reminder: Backyarders to host Anti-Vote Election Summit on 14th May

To Abahlali baseMjondolo,
To Anti-Eviction Campaign,
To the SNI and Blackwash,
To Andries Tatane and all victims of police violence,
To all progressive movements,
To supporters and friends of the poor,
To politicians and government officials,
To enemies of our movements,
To everyone who is not quite sure yet where they stand,

The Mandela Park Backyarders intent to remind you that we will be holding an Anti-Vote Election Summit at 09h00 on Saturday the 14^th of May. In attendance will be people from as close as across the street and supporters from as far as Johannesburg.

Click here to see Abahlali baseMjondolo’s statement in support of our event.

See also this attached letter from ANC alligned Khayelitsha Human Settlement’s Forum and the well-written reply by fellow Backyarder Mabhuti Matyida.  There is also a second response from Backyarder Loyiso Qanya.