Abahlali baseMjondolo Goes to Court to Stop the Eviction of Disabled Residents

Monday, 26 November 2018

Tomorrow [Nov27] the eNduduzweni branch of Abahlali baseMjondolo goes to Durban
High Court as the eThekwini Municipality and KZN Department of Social
Development intensified its war on the blind and physical challenged
residents in the eNduduzweni Centre for the Disabled in uMlazi.

At the same time the eThekwini Municipality’s Land Invasion Unit is
intensifying its was on the eKhenana land occupation in uMkhumbane.

For a long time now the KZN Department of Social Development has tried to
evict the eNduduzweni residents who have lived at the Centre for the
Disabled for many years. They have failed with all their tricks, including
saying that they want to renovate the home and therefore residents must
return back to rural dumping areas where there are no jobs or prospect of
economic livelihood, and no facilities for people in wheelchairs or people
who are blind. They have been harassing residents, stealing from them,
cutting services and lying to them. They have even tried to evict them
through court but failed.

The residents are living in a home that was given to them many years ago.
After the government took over the home they were given a grant. But then
the grant was stopped they were given stipends as they work on handwork as
part of skills development projects. They have now been told that they will
no longer receive stipends and that instead they will receive cooked food.
The residents have rejected the decision to replace the stiped with food
citing that they have families to support back home, so feeding them like
animals does not give them dignity means that they are unable to support
their families.

While comrades were waiting for the Department of Social Development to
consult with them they sent eThekwini municipal officials to cut
electricity as way of punishing them and forcefully drive them out of home.

The KZN Department of Social Development has failed to engage the residents
honestly and respectfully. The dignity of the residents is not respected.

The eNduduzweni branch of has had to go to court after the eThekwini
municipality cut off their electricity.

We are pleased that the Legal Resource Centre is taking the eThekwini
Municipality to Durban High Court to demand re-electrification. The states
continue to fail to treat people with respect and dignity.

Abahlali will come out in their numbers to support our comrades against
indignity and injustices.