Students for Social Justice Statement on the arrest and assault of Ayanda Kota
We, the Students for Social Justice condemn in the strongest possible terms the vicious police attack on our friend and comrade Ayanda Kota of the Unemployed People's Movement, which occurred on Thursday the 12th of January 2012. Ayanda Kota was assaulted in barbaric and cowardly fashion in front of his 6 year old son at the Grahamstown police station by Constable Zulu and several other officers.
Ayanda had voluntarily gone to the station after having been accused of the theft of a book lent to him by a Rhodes University academic. The charge of theft is unfounded and part of a private vendetta against comrade Ayanda Kota. Having been informed of the charges, Ayanda acted in good faith by offering to replace the book in question, which he had misplaced.
Sadly it has become all too predictable for police, often on the behest of the ruling party, to violently attack activists perceived to be a threat. We have seen this behavior when the police murdered Andries Tatane before the eyes of the nation. We have seen this behavior in Durban, when the ANC led an attack against Abahlali basemjondolo members in the Kennedy Road Settlement.
We have seen this behavior when ANCYL members attacked Democratic Left Front and UPM activists (including Ayanda) at the international day of climate action during COP 17. We have seen this behavior when Rehad Desai was assaulted in front of Zuma. We have seen this behavior when the police arrested Ayanda Kota and three other UPM members on spurious charges last year. The police continue to disrespect the laws surrounding political protest, laws they are constitutionally bound to protect. They act as little more than the municipalities' private enforcers and the agents of Capital.
We remember General Cele's call of "shoot to kill". SSJ has also observed the manner in which the police have been re-militarized under the pretext of the World Cup and have noted that it was only a matter of time until this violence was directed against dissenters in this country.