27 July 2011
Press Release by the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign
With or without the permit from the city, today, we will be marching first to the High Court and then to the offices of the City of Cape Town. In terms of the Gatherings Act, when we want to march, the law says we must notify the city and SAPS within 7 days. The law further suggests that if the city refuses to grant a permit they need to provide us with written reasons after meeting in person with the organisers of the march. The City has not fulfilled its legal obligations and therefore the march is 100% legal.
We are going to stick to the law and go ahead with our legal march as planned. It is up to the city if they want to make sure the relevant authorities are present during our march. Our march will be organised, peaceful and dignified. We expect the same from the authorities.
Time of gathering: 9am
Time at the Cape High Court: 10am
When court is over, we will go to the City’s offices
Statement from marching communities:
1. The poor communities of the Western Cape will no longer dance to the tune (service delivery) of government. This means that the poor will take their land in South Africa.
2. On 27 July poor residents of Mitchell’s Plain will be appearing in the High Court because the City of Cape Town has failed to provide land and housing for the poor.
3. Poor communities will be showing solidarity and support of the residents of Mitchell’s Plain by marching to the High Court and to the City of Cape Town.
4. An interim communities committee comprising of Communities for Social Change, Abhalali baseMjondolo, the Anti-Eviction Campaign, the Mitchell’s Plain Backyard Dwellers Association and the Mandela Park Backyarders applied to the City of Cape Town for a permit to hold the march.
5. A meeting between the communities and the City was scheduled for 12h00pm on the 25 July 2011
6. The City was not willing to meet with the delegation of 12 community representatives and wanted to dictate who should be present on behalf the communities.
7. The communities’ delegation advised the City that it had been mandated to attend by their organisations and this cannot be changed by the City.
8. The City called off the meeting which means that no permit has been issued for the march. This is in contravention of the Gatherings Act which requires the convening of such a meeting without preconditions before refusing to issue a permit.
9. Despite the attitude of the City in attempting to undermine and/or ban our march, the poor will still be coming to court and to the City of Cape Town to hand over a memorandum to the Mayor.
10. While the City must take full responsibility for anything that might go wrong on Wednesday, this will be a legal march as we have fulfilled all the requirements of notification and preparations laid out by the Gatherings Act.
11. As community organisations we remain committed to meet with the City on behalf of the poor to ensure that the march is well organised and is peaceful.
Power to the poor people!
For more information, please contact:
Mncedisi Twalo – WC Anti-Eviction Campaign – 0785808646
Gary Hartzenberg – WC Anti-Eviction Campaign – 0723925859
Also contact:
Khaya Xintolo – Mandela Park Backyarders – 0780241683
Mzonke Poni – Abahali baseMjondolo – 0732562036
Mario Wanza – Communities for Social Change – 0824137600
Charles – Mitchell’s Plain Backyarders Association – 0746895980
Mary – Mitchell’s Plain Backyarders Association – 0733761850
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