CATO CREST Dunlop Protest

Bandile Mdlalose

UKZN CCS

Cato Crest

Social Justice issues

• Population - 70 000

• 64% Unemployment, majority youth

• 99.39% are Black and the rest are Indian

• Zulu speaking - 74.7%

• Issues; Electricity, Water, Sanitation, Housing

• No garbage collection

Development

• Housing development and relocation to transit camps

began in 2008

• Card carrying ANC members benefited (corruption)

• After a year of waiting in vein protests began

• Occupation began in Marikana

People faced evictions

Eviction of Cato Crest

EThekwini Municipality

demolishing houses

without court order

March 2013, community joined AbM

The birth of Dunlop Protest

terminology

Demands

• Housing allocation for transit camp residents

• The housing database allocation list

• The end of evictions and demolitions

• Government to respect the law

• Investigation on corruption

• Suspension of the councillor

• Engagement with the government

Assassination

• March 2013: Thembinkosi Qumbela gunned

down

• 26 June 2013: Nkululeko Gwala gunned down

outside his house at 9:30pm

• Political assassination

• 30 September 2013: Nqobile Nzuza – gunned

down by Cato Crest station commander Mnganga

on a protest. (no arrest)

Nkululeko Gwala

assassinated on 26

June 2013

Thembinkosi

Qumbela on March

2013

Nqobile Nzuza, 17

years old

Abahlali Secretary Political Arrest

• Demand Station commander to be arrest for the killing of

Nqobile Nzuza

• Arrested and charged for public violence, obstruction and

incitement to commit violence.

• Bail denied and kept in isolated cell.

• Imprisoned for seven days in Westville.

• Bail granted for R5 000.00 (with conditions)

• “Seven Days of thoughts in Westville prison’’

Former General Secretary of ABM, Bandile Mdlalose

The Fall of Dunlop Protest

• Role of media

• Some leaders joined the EFF

• ABM – DA marriage it the impact therefore.

‘No Land, No House, No Vote??

Role of Social Movements

Positive

• Promotes the struggle &

community rights

• Build the publicity of the

community through media

• Exposes corruption

• Solidaristic supports

Negative

• Divisiveness

• Betrayal

• Political and strategic

dictatorship on what

decision to be taken by

community

• Bad relationship with local

government.

conclusion

• 3 years of struggle, the murderers still walk free

• Who is suppose to respect the law?

• Does the right to housing exist?

• Are assassinations and arrests institutional?