26 March 2011
The South African Communist Party in the Eastern Cape is outraged at the forced removal in Butterworth’s Bhungeni Informal Settlement of people that has seen 2000 of them homeless. As the SACP, we condemn this behavior that is a painful reminder of where we come from, during the dark days of apartheid, when black people were treated as sub-humans in their own country. We condemn this removal that represent a violation even of our country’s constitution as it makes it illegal to remove people without providing alternative shelter.
This forced removal, taking place during the human rights month represent as another attack to the dignity not only of the people of Bhungeni but to the majority of workers and the poor who leave in degrading conditions as a minority enjoys the benefits of our country’s economy. It is indeed an insult to remove people to make way for mall construction and the owners of "new mall" are going to need the same people as cheap labour to construct the mall and then employ some of them as casual workers with no benefits in the outlets to be opened.
We call upon the Mnquma Municipality to take the side of the people and defend their rights to human dignity. It is not enough to claim they did not know as reported in the media. As the SACP, we further call on all public representatives in that area to stand on the side of those they claim to represent.
These are the same people they want their votes as we approach the coming local government elections. We pledge our support as the SACP to all the affected families and committing to join them in a life of dignity in a free South Africa.
Xolile Nqatha
Provincial Secretary
Eastern Cape Province