More than 1000 members of shack dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo marched to Durban City Hall yesterday morning, demanding an end to corruption, for those who have looted government coffers to be held accountable and for forced evictions to be stopped.
The movement was joined by the Ubunye BamaHostela movement (UBM) representing hostel dwellers, and the Market Users Committee (MUC) representing street traders.
Abahlali baseMjondolo leader S’bu Zikode said that corruption was theft from the public that hits the poor the hardest.
Zikode said the theft of public funds during the Covid-19 lockdown came as a shock.
“Corruption has vandalised our communities. The councillor system has not only become a system of top-down political control, but some councillors are a danger to our democracy and our communities,” said Zikode.
“The state does not treat us like people. We are regularly ignored, insulted, harassed, assaulted and robbed by state officials,” he said.
As part of their demands in the memorandum, the movement wants the provincial government to take action regarding the R25million allocated to the KZN Department of Social Development, to provide food relief to the poor in the province. The department was supposed to distribute food parcels to 176000 families between July and August, however, The Mercury reported they only delivered 1025 food parcels in two months.
“We demand all those who have been evicted be reinstated on their land and in their homes. We demand decent housing, safe neighbourhoods and the provision of basic services. We demand an end to harassment of street traders,” reads the memorandum.
UBM administrator Mvuzo Ntombela said they wanted those responsible for corruption in the provincial government departments and the municipality to be held accountable.
MUC leader Verushka Memdutt called for the city’s business support unit to recognise them, respond to their outcry and stop abusing traders.
Linda Nzama from the premier’s office, Melusi Sibisi from KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and Leonard Masinga from the office of the mayor signed and received the memorandum.
The groups gave the provincial government and the municipality 14 days to respond to their list of demands.
The Mercury