SACP Gauteng shocked by court decision to evict Mama Mdluli and her paralysed child Lindukuhle Mdluli during 16 days of activism campaign
4 December 2013
The inhuman and insensitive nature of the court decision and JHC
The SACP Gauteng Province is deeply shocked by one of the most inhuman ruling made by the South Gauteng High Court yesterday, the 3rd /12/13 in favour of the notorious capitalist housing monopoly, the Johannesburg Housing Company. The court decision evicts the Mdluli family from the Newtown Housing Village in Fordsburg, west of Johannesburg.
The property was bought by the JHC for an extremely ridiculous price of R28 million (market value was estimated at R150 million in 2011) in the most controversial liquidation public auction process that stand out as the biggest housing scandal post our country`s first democratic elections in 1994.
Newtown Housing Village was built on government land, funded by government housing subsidy and donations by progressive foreign governments. All that is now lost to JHC which has another property, Carr Gardens, built almost at the same time in 1998, on same government land, and occupied almost at the same time in 2001 with the now liquidated and auctioned Newtown Housing Village.
Strange enough, JHC now finally owns both properties, and the residents have lost both their subsidy and housing units allocated to them by government. For some strange reason, this controversy and alleged proceed of corruption is allowed to continue.
The decision of the court, effectively evict within 48 hours the 58 year old mother, Ms Lucia Mdluli and her 18 year old paralysed Lindokuhle Mdluli. This shocking decision of the court certainly privileges profits at the expense of human life, in particular the needs and aspirations of the working class and poor vulnerable families.
We are deeply shocked that this pro-profit and extremely inhuman decision comes at the time when the international community under the banner of the United Nations is fighting the scourge of abuse against women and children as part of the 16 Days Campaign of No Violence Against Women and Children.
The SACP sympathises with MamaMdluli`s view that Newtown Housing Village remains the most preferable and suitable place where they have successfully survived and managed their difficulties relating to the disability and paralysed condition of her son Lindokuhle.
We strongly condemn this extremely inconsiderate decision of the court to rule in favour of the housing monopoly capital based on its untested and unproven claim that it is providing a suitable alternative accommodation. JHC claims without verified proof that it took into account the condition of the child, and the practical difficulties of the mother to take care of her most loved child. This claim is refuted by MamaMdluli and her plea was dismissed by the court.
The SACP strongly believe that the court should have first allowed an inspection and assessment of the said alternative accommodation. This would have provided clarity beyond doubt that the alternative accommodation indeed meet the special and specific needs of a paralysed child. SACP strongly believe that there was absolutely no urgency and legitimate basis to rush the court to make such a decision except the pressing profit needs of JHC.
We are deeply shocked that the court completely ignored and conveniently overlooked the plea of the mother merely to satisfy the greed and accumulation regime of JHC to urgently move in new tenants and collect rent.
We hope that government is not supporting or paying any housing subsidies to facilitate the accumulation regime of these profiteering housing monopoly, JHC.
The SACP states all of the above in full respect and appreciation of the rule of law, and independence of the courts as a profound principle of any advanced nation. We however firmly believe that the transformation of the judiciary as on organ of the state still constitute a strategic task requiring the intervention of the SACP and revolutionary forces in our country.
Previous suffering and humiliation of the Mdluli family
The Mdluli family was part of the 2000 families that were evicted from the Newtown Housing Village in Fordsburg, Johannesburg during the chilly cold winter this year. Following an intervention by the SACP and the residents, the Mdluli family was granted an opportunity to stay in their home of more than 12 years in recognition of their vulnerability and difficulty.
The SACP is deeply concerned that the Mdluli family`s is suffering yet another humiliation and pain after Lindokuhle who was born normal, got paralysed following neglect by a hospital where he underwent medical operation in the past years. It is also important to note that Lindokuhle spent more than a week sleeping in the cold weather after the housing monopoly, JHC evicted the more than 2000 families that were living in Newtown Housing Village.
SACP`s call to action
The SACP will as part of its fight to defend the evicted families, immediately lodge a notice with law enforcement agencies to formally investigate what is clearly the biggest but most conveniently ignored housing scandal post 1994 democratic breakthrough.
We call on all organs of the democratic state to work collectively to prevail over this corrupt forces to defend and consolidate our non-racial, non-sexist and democratic government against the scourge of corruption.
This scandal involves a web and class coalition of sophisticated housing monopolies, inner-City property dealers, commercial banks, corrupt government officials, courts, liquidators and auctioneers. We are convinced that the democratic state will prevail over this forces and ensure that justice is done.
We call on the City of Johannesburg and Provincial Government to immediately dispatch their social workers to move swiftly and speedily to assist the Mdluli family.
The SACP calls on all revolutionary and progressive organisations to pledge solidarity with the Mdluli family. This family has suffered severely and for a long time, and their plight is firmly in the hands of all revolutionary forces and caring people.
Issued on behalf of the SACP Gauteng Province
Contact:
Mamabolo Jacob: Provincial Secretary: 082 884 1868
Lucian Segami: Provincial Spokesperson: 079 522 0098
