EDITOR – Today, we found ourselves where we have been too often before – at the Durban court awaiting a decision on bail for another shack dweller charged with public violence. Again – bail denied; on what grounds it is not clear.
Why another bail hearing? What has led to us as clergy being here again this day?
Over the past few months and weeks we have heard:
Of illegal evictions and demolition of homes in Cato Crest by the Land Invasion Unit;
Of alleged fraudulent selling and allocation of houses in Cato Crest by local political leadership;
Of several court interdicts secured by Abahlali protecting their homes, and the same interdicts despised and ignored by city officials and political leadership;
of intimidation by local ANC leadership and members in Cato Crest, of the legal teams that were attempting to give effect to the court’s orders of restraining the city from demolishing people’s houses, and restraining them from further evictions, and instructing the city to rebuild people’s houses that were demolished;
Of the shooting by the Land Invasion Unit and the SAPS of protesters asserting their rights – shot with rubber bullets and live ammunition. We visited today Nkosinathi Mngomezulu and Luleka Makhwenkwana who are still in hospital recovering from their wounds.
As those who follow Jesus, we will continue to be present with those who are denied access to land, denied houses for their families, denied a place in our society. We will be with:
The family of Nqobile Nzuza, as they mourn the shooting of their 17 year old daughter;
The three residents of Cato Crest who must appear in Durban court on Thursday 3 October to face charges of public violence;
The residents of Cato Crest as they secure their place in our city.
We urge others to act and stand with us as we resolve to build a society in which all belong and have a place.
KwaZulu Natal Church Leaders’ Group, under the chairpersonship of Bishop Rubin Phillip, Bishop of Natal and Dean of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa
Durban
*Letter shortened: Editor
