Friday, 16 October 2020
Abahlali press statement

Abahlali to march to the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal to demand an end to state corruption, forced evictions and violence

We as Abahlali baseMjondolo, as umbutho wabampofu, exist because we have a great responsibility. A responsibility to our members, a responsibility to our country and the world at large. Covid-19 has taken the world by storm and has shocked us all. Many lives have been lost and many economies have collapsed.

Huge resources have been invested to fight this pandemic and protect lives.

However in South Africa many thugs in suits and ties at high levels of government have seen this crisis as an opportunity to enrich themselves. They have stolen vast amounts of public money in broad-day light. There have been shocking media reports that R25 million allocated by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development to provide food relief to the poor has gone missing. It is reported that this money was meant to provide food relief to about 88 000 people in distress, and yet only 1 026 people benefited. We are not just calling for the investigation and prosecution of the culprits. We also demand that the Department of Social Development recover the money and redirect it to people who are still in need of food relief. 

It is a well-known fact that former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede is alleged to have corrupted almost R430 million rand from a Durban Solid Waste tender. It is now reported that at least R700 million rand meant to provide water and sanitation has also gone missing within the eThekwini Water and Sanitation unit. This is very disturbing. It exposes our communities to greater health danger. It robs our communities of the potential to develop and improve living conditions. It denies our communities the right to life. The act of corruption in the middle of pandemic should be viewed as an attempted murder and the culprits should be charged as such.

continue reading Here: Source:

Abahlali to march to the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal to demand an end to state corruption, forced evictions and violence