Open Letter: eThekwini Municipality Stop Evicting Poor People in the midst of the Coronavirus Crisis!

 

 

 

 

 

 

To: President Cyril Ramaphosa

      President of the Republic of South Africa

      Per Email: presidentrsa@presidency.gov.za 

 

    Minister Ronald Lamola

    Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

    Per Email: Ministry@justice.gov.za 

 

   Minister Lindiwe Sisulu

   Minister of Human Settlements. Water and Sanitation

  Per Email: Francois.hugo@dhs.gov.za

 

 MEC Peggy Nkonyeni

 Member of Executive Committee: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements

 Per Email: phakamile.maphanga@kznworks.gov.za   

 

 Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda

 Mayor of eThekwini Municipality

 Per Email: Mxolisi.Kaunda@durban.gov.za 

 

From: Right2Know Campaign Kwa-Zulu Natal

 

Subject: eThekwini Municipality Stop Evicting Poor People in the midst of Coronavirus Crisis

The Right2Know Campaign (R2K) condemns in the strongest terms the conduct of eThekwini Municipality and Calvin Security Services Company in forcibly demolishing the homes of hundreds of residents of Ekuphumeleleni and Azania informal settlements in Cato Manor. 

A climate of terror has gripped the people of these settlements as the eThekwini municipality continues to terrorise the community. At the time where the country and the world is focused on the crisis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of people are left homeless in their own country by the Municipality. While we agree that the immediate primary priority is to overcome the virus, we cannot allow or ignore the violation of human rights by the State.

We write out of our concern at the seeming ignorance of the order by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services that there shall be no evictions until the completion of the Lockdown. The eThekwini Municipality is acting brazenly in breach of the Regulations and the national directives. Indeed, eThekwini Municipality is merely continuing its practice of ignoring court orders and evicting people without a court order. This must be stopped!

In less than a week since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the lockdown, there have been three illegal evictions carried out by eThekwini Municipality, sub-contracted to the notorious Calvin Security, a private security company. 

The first attack was on Friday, 27 March, where 8 houses were demolished. The second attack came on Sunday where 5 more houses were demolished. The third round came on Tuesday 31 March where both settlements were attacked, and where eyewitnesses say live ammunition was used into the presence of children and elder citizens leaving five residents from Azania hospitalised.

We therefore demand the following: 

• The eThekwini Municipality to cease and desist, with immediate effect the eviction of people of Ekuphumeleleni and Azania and other informal settlements; 
• The lockdown regulations, including the provision of access to water and health services, to be implemented; 
• The municipality to provide the displaced families with adequate shelter, enough to protect them from infection by the coronavirus; 
• An immediate investigation into the actions of Calvin Security Services during these three evictions, and especially for the use of excessive force and live ammunition. 
• IPID to speed up the investigation and report back on the reported gross  human rights violation by the SAPS and SANDF.

Sincerely,

Sthembiso Khuluse – R2K KZN Community Organiser: 081 575 3832

Thabo Maile – R2K National Working Group member: 078 119 4257