Durban, South Africa—Christmas is often the time of evictions in Durban. The Municipality knows that many people are away at their rural homes and that it is difficult to get legal, media and political support at this time.

Today, Dec. 23, the municipality is demolishing homes at the Marikana land occupation in Cato Crest. About 40 houses have already been demolished by the eThekwini Land Invasion Unit. We are still counting as they are still demolishing.

Cato Crest sits with an order from the Durban High Court which protects the residents from the illegal demolition of their homes. Yet the municipality does not respect the order and demolishes in open violation of the law. This is the eighth time this year that the municipality has acted in open contempt of the court by demolishing homes at this settlement.

Just when Mandela has passed, the African National Congress is turning this country against his wishes. They are not even ashamed of the lives the poor are living, or the fact that the residents of Cato Crest will spend Christmas on the street.

This year the Member of the Executive Council for Human Settlement, Mr Ravi Pillay, promised to intervene. Are these illegal evictions leaving people homeless his intervention?

Last year at around this time, many homes were burnt down at the Kennedy Road settlement. The eThekwini Mayor James Nxumalo promised to give the people proper homes. One year later, those promises have not been met.

The political leaders could not care less for the people. Their only interest is to suck votes from the people so that they can enrich themselves. It is like all the politicians are born from one mother.

—Abahlali baseMjondolo

For more information contact: Ndabo Mzimela 072 401 5974, Bandile Mdlalose 084 557 5090084 557 5090, or S’bu Zikode 083 547 0474.