ABAHLALI BASEMJONDOLO MOVEMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA (WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE)

The Protests in TR Section Today Are Organised by the ANC Youth League and Not by AbM Western Cape

We have just heard that three vehicles were burnt during a protest in TR Section, Khayelitsha, today. One of them contained stationery for the matric exams.

We want to make it absolutely clear that this protest was organised by the ANC Youth League and not by Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape. We only head about it for the first time when we started to get calls from the media.

It is well known that the ANC Youth League represents the interests of the predatory elite within the ANC. They are part of the power structures against which we are struggling. They are attempting to hi-jack the legitimate struggles of the poor in Cape Town in an attempt to win back power from the DA. We condemn their attempts to hi-jack the struggles of the poor and we condemn their actions this morning.

We know very well that the ANC is evicting and oppressing shack dwellers all over South Africa. We know very well that the ANC Youth League is the most reactionary faction in the whole of the organisation. We condemn any attempt by the ANC Youth League try and camouflage their predatory agenda in Cape Town by making it look like it is part of the ongoing country wide rebellion by the poor. Our movement will provide no shelter for the ANC Youth League and their ambitions to return to power in Cape Town. We call on all other organised poor communities to take a principled position against the dirty tricks of the ANC Youth League and to organise, speak for and struggle themselves.

We also note that in Durban Abahlali baseMjondolo is accused by the ANC of being a front for the IFP and Cope. In Howick our movement is accused by the IFP of being a front for the ANC. In Cape Town we are accused by the DA of being a front for the DA. And here in Cape Town TAC has blamed us for the actions of the ANC Youth League. We are an autonomous and democratic poor people's that rejects all the political parties in South Africa. We often start our meetings by saying ‘Phantsi DA! Phantsi Cope! Phantsi IFP! Phantsi ANC!'. Our project is to build the power of the poor against all the political parties.

Our movement is driven by no force other than our members and the discussions in our meetings. It is time that the political parties, the media and the NGOs accept that poor people can think for themselves, organise themselves and mobilise themselves.

Statement issued by Mzonke Poni Abahlali BaseMjondolo Western Cape Chairperson, November 11 2010

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