WHO IS KILLING OUR ACTIVISTS? - for those of you who havent seen the latest Workers World News - here is a brief summary of the extent of an escalating phenomenon countrywide Working class activists all over South Africa have been organizing against South African state policies of cost-recovery, poor service delivery and homelessness, and against the corrupt practises of officials of the ruling party. From Relela, to Sebokeng, to Mothutlung, to Roodepoort, Kennedy Road and elsewhere these communities have found their voice in protest. Reminiscent of the 80s, flaming barricades, songs of resistance, unemployed youth and community women and men in unity. However their demands and actions have been met with violence from the state and party loyalists. According to the Social Change Research Unit of the University of Johannesburg, 43 protesters were reportedly killed by police between 2004 and 2014; and 450 political assassinations since 1994. This excludes the Marikana massacre of 2012. The Free State • The killing of Andries Tatane on the 13 of April 2011 in Ficksburg epitomizes what many working class activists and organisers have been facing in the post 1994 period and not shown by mainstream media. North West • On 16 August 2012 34 striking mineworkers were gunned down by the police in Marikana. The enquiry into the massacre – the Farlam Commission - is currently meeting and is supposed to present its report before the end of November 2014. Gauteng • In Boiketlong during a protest on 5 February 2014, a group, many whom were ANC T-shirts, opened fire on protesters, injured one person and Lerata Rabolila Tladi (26) was shot and killed. KwaZulu Natal • Three Numsa worker leaders that led the striking metal workers in the area of Isithebe were gunned down after returning from a union meeting in Durban. Njabulo Ndebele(34), secretary of Numsa’s Isithebe branch, his deputy, Sibonelo Ntuli(29), and Ntobeko Maphumulo (29) died at the scene outside a home in Mabhengwane Road, Isithebe on Wednesday night 6 August 2014. • On 29 September 2014, Thuli Ndlovu of Abahlali baseMjondolo chairperson of the KwaNdengezi branch was shot seven times and killed at her home in KwaNdengezi. • Nkululeko Gwala was shot 12 times killed while walking home on the 28 June in Cato Crest. Gwala had allegedly uncovered evidence that ANC councillor Mzimuni Ngiba was illegally renting out properties that had been built for the poor and was collecting the income to line his own pockets. Gwala was reportedly due to hold a press conference two days after he was gunned down. • Thembinkosi Qumbelo killed in a local bar where he was watching a football game on television. He was at the centre of a local struggle around land and housing - the keenest point of conflict between citizens and the local state – in Cato Crest in Durban • Nqobile Nzuza (ABM) killed September 2013. Shot to the back of the head while she was participating in a protest organised by Abahlali baseMjondolo in Cato Crest • Nhlanhla Mkhize and Mawizo Fakaza was shot in the head and killed in Reservoir hills. • The Mothulung community rose up after not having water for months. Police responded leaving four people dead. Lerato Seema, Osia Rahube, Jan Rivombo a street trader and Mike Tshele a Photographer. • Other events include the killing of a 17year old Tebogo Mkhonza from Harrismith in 2006. Whistleblowers and party factions • Moss Phakoe – ANC councillor in the Rustenburg local municipality was gunned down on 14 March 2009 in his car on his way home. Moss Phakoe had found evidence of multimillion-rand fraud in North West’s drought-relief projects. • Mbombela Municipalitys Speaker, Jimmy Mohlala was shot dead outside his house. This happens after he refused an ANC order to step down as speaker following reports that he blew the whistle on a colleague, who was accused of involvement in corrupt 2010 construction tenders. • Mthunzi Nkonki, was gunned down in Duncan village after he exposed alleged corruption in the Great Kei municipality. • In June 2010, South African Communist Party (SACP) member Dumisani ‘Bomber’ Ntshangase was killed after speaking out about an unpopular decision that would have enriched certain government officials. • In October, controversial Mpumalanga politician James Nkambule, who had alleged that senior ANC politicians are behind a series of politically-motivated murders, turned up dead. His autopsy report suggested that he might have been poisoned. • Lawrence Moepi - Forensic auditor was killed in a suspected hit, which happened as he arrived for work at his Johannesburg office in October 2013. Moepi was working on a big case involving suspected corruption. He was appointed to be on the investigations team on the arms deal. Many of the cases of activists killed or assassinated remain unresolved. Many of them do not result in any convictions. The number of people killed to this date raises a number of concerns. Who is killing the protestors and activists and why? Is it apparent that the number of police deployed has grown tremendously? What about the militarization? Who stands to gain and whose interest is being safeguarded?
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 07:54:28 +0000