Days of Darkness in Kennedy Road
As many of you know, Kennedy Road has been a second home for me over the last 3 years and I have many close friends and comrades who live there. The last few days have been extremely stressful, being so far away in Canada, as violent attacks have broken out across the settlement.
In the last few days I have received urgent calls from women and children I know in Kennedy Road after violent attacks erupted this weekend. At least 3 people are already confirmed dead and it looks like there may be as many as 8 others. People have been arrested. Men with swords and bush knives have been marauding around burning down shacks and fighting people.
Hundreds have fled or are in hiding all over Clare Estate without food or shelter.
Thulani, who is now 16 years old, was hiding in the bushes in the rain after having been violently driven out of his shack with the rest of their family. He whispered to me over the phone that the children were hiding with hundreds of Zulu people who had been driven out of their homes. They were very scared. Mamazana, who is 15 and was also hiding there, said that there were many other children in the bushes with them.
They were afraid their shacks will be burned and have left with little more than the clothes on their backs.
[picture of Lwazi outside their shack in August. The settlement is home to a huge number of children, many of whom run households themselves]
Reports from Abahlali baseMjondolo say their members have been specifically targeted, houses destroyed and their lives threatened. They reported on Saturday at a meeting in the settlement "a group of about 40 men heavily armed with guns, bush knives and even a sword attacked the KRDC near the Abahlali baseMjondolo office in the Kennedy Road settlement. The men who attacked were shouting: 'The AmaMpondo are taking over Kennedy. Kennedy is for the AmaZulu".
While things remain unclear exactly what has happened, it is obvious that ethnic and political violence are fueling what is happening and many people are scared, displaced and without shelter.
Sbu Zikode's house has been smashed and ransacked as have many other members of the movement and members of the movement are under specific target.
[picture of Zikode's smashed home]
Immediate action needs to be taken to provide shelter for those displaced and to ensure that the lives of community members under attack are defended.
Violence that targets ethnicity and political affiliation is an extremely serious. It seems the violence may be motivated by a variety of factors and there must be a credible investigation launched. Reports of the failure of the Sydenham police station to take action to defend the lives and property of shack residents is extremely worrying as well, as is the complicity of ANC councillors.
Immediately securing shelter is a priority, but people can also get the story out and put pressure on the government in South Africa and internationally.
A press release has just been issued, but those with contacts for temporary shelter, food, or other resources should get in touch.
I don't have much faith in the government at the moment, but at least 'name and shame' their complicity by signing this petition so they know the world is watching:
Abahlali is also posting updates and have set up a fund to collect donations here.
Durban action against Xenophobia is mobilizing with updates.
In the last few days I have received urgent calls from women and children I know in Kennedy Road after violent attacks erupted this weekend. At least 3 people are already confirmed dead and it looks like there may be as many as 8 others. People have been arrested. Men with swords and bush knives have been marauding around burning down shacks and fighting people.
Hundreds have fled or are in hiding all over Clare Estate without food or shelter.
Thulani, who is now 16 years old, was hiding in the bushes in the rain after having been violently driven out of his shack with the rest of their family. He whispered to me over the phone that the children were hiding with hundreds of Zulu people who had been driven out of their homes. They were very scared. Mamazana, who is 15 and was also hiding there, said that there were many other children in the bushes with them.
They were afraid their shacks will be burned and have left with little more than the clothes on their backs.
[picture of Lwazi outside their shack in August. The settlement is home to a huge number of children, many of whom run households themselves]
Reports from Abahlali baseMjondolo say their members have been specifically targeted, houses destroyed and their lives threatened. They reported on Saturday at a meeting in the settlement "a group of about 40 men heavily armed with guns, bush knives and even a sword attacked the KRDC near the Abahlali baseMjondolo office in the Kennedy Road settlement. The men who attacked were shouting: 'The AmaMpondo are taking over Kennedy. Kennedy is for the AmaZulu".
While things remain unclear exactly what has happened, it is obvious that ethnic and political violence are fueling what is happening and many people are scared, displaced and without shelter.
Sbu Zikode's house has been smashed and ransacked as have many other members of the movement and members of the movement are under specific target.
[picture of Zikode's smashed home]
Immediate action needs to be taken to provide shelter for those displaced and to ensure that the lives of community members under attack are defended.
Violence that targets ethnicity and political affiliation is an extremely serious. It seems the violence may be motivated by a variety of factors and there must be a credible investigation launched. Reports of the failure of the Sydenham police station to take action to defend the lives and property of shack residents is extremely worrying as well, as is the complicity of ANC councillors.
Immediately securing shelter is a priority, but people can also get the story out and put pressure on the government in South Africa and internationally.
A press release has just been issued, but those with contacts for temporary shelter, food, or other resources should get in touch.
I don't have much faith in the government at the moment, but at least 'name and shame' their complicity by signing this petition so they know the world is watching:
Abahlali is also posting updates and have set up a fund to collect donations here.
Durban action against Xenophobia is mobilizing with updates.
posted by shannonatresist at 4:08 PM
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