INLSA
Mario Wanza. Photo: Matthew Jordaan
THE handling by the city council and the police of Friday’s attempt by a very small group of activists to gather – the word “invasion” would be hyperbolic in the extreme – on Rondebosch Common was shameful. There is no other word for it.
The disparate groups which came together in an attempt to hold a “people’s jobs, land and housing summit” must also share some blame for the shambles. Their demands were vague and woolly, they did not follow council procedure and, technically, their attempt to march on the common was illegal.
One could also argue that the appropriation by the organisers of the logo and slogans of the disbanded United Democratic Front was opportunistic and uncalled for.
But none of this in any way excuses the extraordinarily hysterical response of the city and the police, a response – complete with “purple rain” water cannons – that smacked uncomfortably of the worst days of the successive states of emergency imposed during the apartheid years.
The arrest before the march of one of the key organisers, Mario Wanza, of the organisation Proudly Manenberg, begs several questions: On whose authority was he arrested? Under what statute or law? Why was he held in police cells throughout the weekend?
Late yesterday, police would still not confirm any clear details of his detention, other than vague talk of an arrest under “the Gatherings Act”.
Has it come to this, that nearly 18 years into our democracy, we have reverted to the police-state days of apartheid?
And what role did Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille and her executive play in encouraging the police in their actions? In her speech to the council on Wednesday, De Lille singled out Wanza, calling him and his supporters “agents of destruction”.
She said: “I tell the people of Cape Town this: they will not succeed because we will not let them.”
Well, the metro police and the SAPS between them made sure that De Lille’s words were prophetic. Friday’s actions by the police, acting with the full support of De Lille and her council, are a shameful blot on the face of Cape Town. Who will be brave enough to step forward and take the blame?
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Anonymous, wrote
@sandra and anon. There is plenty of land. Most is owned by DA people. The biggest owner is probably the Graaf family. Its acquisition was mainly from supplying meat (David Graaf was a butcher, in the right place at the right time) to the British invading force in the Boer war. Enough money, and since 1994, has been made (aggravated by fake scarcity to inflate prices) to offset compensation - expropriate without compensation. The Cape Flats is both unsuitable for TB-free habitation as well as robbing our region of a vast underground water source. The DA and its United Party type predecessors (Stott and Kantey charitably condemned people to misery and disease) are culpable. It is patently clear that the DA ranks people on 'supremacist' criteria - Eugenics.
Anonymous, wrote
The racist comments ought to be removed (on a balance of probability they are DA supporters). We are 18 years down the line with a constitutional imperative to redress land issues. Because of Colonialism (see NYT for Leopold's boot) and substantially royalty rather than the country 'inscribing' ownership, and apartheid, the land issue is racial. de Lille (and Mazibuka sic) are self-serving Auntie Tom's in the white mans' last stand to preserve an evil status quo. Mr Sobukwe must be turning in his probably white owned grave!
Anonymous, wrote
Give blacks and coloreds power and this is what happens. De Lille is a Pan Africanist Congress member under cover. She is in the DA for political power and money for herself and family. The DA is going to the dogs by allowing blacks and coloureds in it. The DA must be for whites only so that we can run Cape Town the way we want it. Zille is selling out the interests of the whites.
Mario Wanza , wrote
the editorial paints a picture of who and what we are without having any insight into what transpired within communities on the day. people were blocked in communities and at stations from getting to Rondebosch. In Manenberg people we instructed to get off the two busses we had organised. we decided to find alternative ways to get to the Common. I addresseds a couple of hundred people in Manenberg and told people to break up into groups of two and three and find their way to the common. it was through the determination of people who walked from Manenberg to get to Rondebosch Common. that was the determination of young and old to reclaim the space our parents and those before them walked on. The march and gathering we planned is and was always legal and it is sad that the media doesn't understand our human rights framework we have in place. We have called for the SAHRC to have a public hearing into Friday's fiasco so that we all can be educated on our right to protest. with regards to the UDF we wish to state there is nothing opportunistic about raising the UDF flag. The UDF is alive in our communities because it represents bringing people together, standing united against the flagrant inequalities and greed we are experiencing today. it is only through building a united front that we can bring about change in this country. so a people united can never be defeated
Ben, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
@sandra The city is NOT battling. Ms Zille has said that all she needed was land. Well there is plenty of it BUT on the 'right side' of town (and Hout Bay). Malema (even if for the wrong reasons) has drawn the battle lines - and fu**ing good for him!
Sandra, wrote
I agree with Tandiwe. The City is battling to cope with the ever growing population. We cannot now have protests that disrupt business and the everyday life of the citizens
Tandiwe , wrote
Well done for restoring order! I've had it with this destructive, hooligan behaviour *disgusted* Thank you. Wish the other provinces could follow lead... My goodness!
Anonymous, wrote
Well done to the City and the police for stopping this rubbish before it became something.Next time they should use real bullets and not a water cannon.
Anonymous, wrote
Does De Lille have the genuine intellectual and human rights understanding to deal with the fundamental issues affecting All. Well are we again been fooled by someone that embraced the PAC and transformed into DA and encouraging the people to vote to be ALIENATED from the issues confronting communities.When will an authentic political movement and party start from grassroots to provide a real transformation of the glaring inequalities so glaring in Cape Town in all spheres...
Anonymous, wrote
Police do not act without a complaint and do not read other people's minds either. When police are instructed by somebody (presumably a politician) to arrest people before the event, dangerous lines have been crossed. The merits are not an issue at all. Any attempt to rationalise this only aggravates it. The only reasonable conclusion is that the DA (Zille is captain of this ship) let the dogs out : are people in the Cape running so scared that they will let 'anything go'?
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