Abahlali baseMjondolo

On 30 September 2013, Nqobile Nzuza was murdered by the South African police in Cato Crest. She was shot from behind while participating in a protest organised around a road blockade. She was seventeen years old when she was murdered.

On Monday, 29 May, the Foreman Road community in Clare Estate, Durban, came under serious police assault after a road blockade that had been organised earlier that morning. That protest was disruptive but it was also peaceful.

We have faced many evictions in the City of Durban since our movement was formed in 2005. Almost all these evictions have been violent, unlawful and criminal.

Life is always difficult in the shacks. If you are poor and black you can be killed with impunity. But it is not only the politicians and their izinkabi, or the police or private security companies that take our lives. We live in life threatening conditions every day.

When we began our struggle ten years ago we felt that we were on our own. Today workers and students are also in struggle. Many are now organised outside of the ruling party that has so brutally repressed our struggle and many other struggles. We no longer feel that we are on our own.

On 19 March 2005 residents of Kennedy Road settlement in Clare Estate in Durban organised a road blockade. There were 14 arrests. This event began a process of discussion with residents of nearby communities and on the 6 of October 2005 our movement was formed.

After apartheid, the new Constitution (1996), and then the Prevention of Illegal Eviction [PIE"> Act (1998) gave some protection to people occupying land without the permission of the state or the capitalists.

There is a war in our city. Our African brothers and sisters are being openly attacked on the streets.

We do not count to this society and this world. We can be driven from our homes, beaten, tortured and murdered with impunity. We are placed outside of citizenship and even humanity.

On Sunday 28 September 2014 the ANC Ward 74 councillor Nolubabalo Mthembu called an ANC meeting to discuss ways of replacing the Land Invasion Unit with an ANC demolition team. This meeting took place at the Lamontville Community hall in the afternoon at around 1pm.