MKMVA & ANC Incite violence for Bloody Secrecy Bill

Education, rather than conflict, was needed over the Protection of State Information Bill, ANC member of the Western Cape provincial legislature Mcebisi Skwatsha told a public hearing on the bill in Gugulethu on Tuesday.

Skwatsha said research showed that less than 30 percent of South Africans knew about the bill.

“We don’t need to fight about this bill; what we need is to educate each other about it,” said Skwatsha.

MK Military Veterans Association Western Cape treasurer Themba Sidini told the hearing his party would kill for the bill.

“We as the MKMVA and the ANC will protect the bill, and if we have to spill blood for it then so will it be,” said Sidini to applause from ANC supporters.

Sidini said the bill was a cornerstone of the country’s democracy and that it sought to protect the country from undue foreign influences.

“Libya collapsed because it did not have a Protection of State Information Act,” he told the partially full Gugulethu Sport Complex.

- IOL

Libya fell becuase the people of Libya were sick of the dictator that had been in power for 40+ years. Remember this lesson, and the bloody bitter end Gadaffi met with. Not becuase they didn't have an act; they had the green book! Which in the end meant nothing!

Mayor challenged over fire deaths

ADULT men have been the main victims of shack fires in Cape Town, making up for more than half of all informal settlement fire deaths recorded last year.

Between January and December, 115 people died in fires, according to Mayor Patricia de Lille.

A breakdown of the recorded deaths for informal settlement fires last year is as follows:

• Males (age 18-60) – 59
• Males (age 61-100) – 4
• Females (age 18-60) – 23
• Females (age 61-100) – 1
• Male children (0-17) – 17
• Female children (0-17) – 11

There were 1 157 responses to fire reports in informal settlements (including false alarms) last year.

De Lille provided the statistics in a written reply to Al Jama-Ah councillor Ganief Hendricks who asked if the city had a plan to “totally stop” fires in informal settlements which resulted in deaths.

She said the city, through its Fire and Rescue Service and Disaster Risk Management Centre, had conducted an intensive public awareness and preparedness campaign on the issue of fires in informal settlements from December 20, 2011 until January 16 this year.

As another preventive measure, the Fire and Rescue Service is in the process of exploring the options of monthly fire drills and a fire team consisting of local residents through establishing a “fire reservist programme”.

Hendricks also asked if De Lille was prepared to place a fire engine in each informal settlement where fires had occurred over the past year, for the next 15 years.

“Can there be monthly fire drills and a fire team consisting of local residents in informal settlements prone to fires?” Hendricks asked.

De Lille said there were 30 fire stations covering the city.

“A dwelling unit can be completely engulfed in flames within one minute and 40 seconds,” she said.

“The placement of fire engines on every corner of an informal settlement will not prevent a dwelling unit from burning down.

“Behavioural changes need to happen and hence concentration on awareness and preventive measures exists,” De Lille said.

She said the city had, over the past four years, invested close to R200 million in the city’s Fire and Rescue Services which had enabled it to meet the “international baseline” for responding to emergencies.

She said this would substantially reduce deaths from fire incidents in informal settlements.

“Each of the informal settlement areas had fire stations within legislated and accepted response distances,” De Lille said.

In one of the worst fire incidents last year, a woman who lost all four of her children in a fire at their Khayelitsha home died in hospital two weeks later.

Bulelwa Matewu’s children – boys Tebogo, 15, and Masithembe, 11, and girls Nthabiseng, seven, and Sesono, two – died after neighbours tried to save them from their burning shack in Makhaza on August 8 last year.

Matewu herself was badly burnt and was taken to Tygerberg Hospital.

After battling to survive for two weeks, she eventually succumbed to her injuries.

Earlier this month, 65 shacks were destroyed, leaving 170 people displaced when a fire broke out at in RR Section in Khayelitsha.

- Cape Times

Why being a Capetonian sickens and distresses me

A relentless, unforgiving Cape Town heat is shimmering across Rondebosch Common as I drive around it on this Saturday afternoon.

The common is almost empty, except for a lone teenager with a ball in his hands and a security guard from a local school taking a break under one of the pine trees.

The parking lot is filled with police vehicles. They are presumably on standby should anyone try to occupy the common, which people had attempted to do the previous day.

A loosely-based coalition of "occupiers" wanted to hold a summit on the common, a public space in the middle of suburbia bequeathed to them as residents of Cape Town.

That no one occupied the common is the culmination of a series of events that led me to feel deep shame at being a Capetonian.

For those who don't know the full story, I am not going to intimate that I do. But the horrifying scenes that played out on the edge of the common on Friday have left me feeling dazed and confused - and angry.

The Occupy Rondebosch Common summit was billed as a weekend event to highlight issues of poverty, homelessness and dissatisfaction with non-delivery to the poor and dispossessed of Cape Town.

The organisers reportedly applied for permission to march from Athlone stadium to Rondebosch. Permission was refused, apparently because they missed a meeting with the Cape Town City Council to put their case to them.

On Friday morning a friend posted on Facebook that anyone with an emergency should not look to the police for assistance as most of them were patrolling and surrounding the common. Through the day there were reports that people had been stopped from leaving Manenberg and Athlone and that one of the key organisers had been arrested.

Then came reports that police had used a water cannon to disperse about 40 occupiers. But they did not say anything about the blue dye. And so, when I was confronted by the images on Saturday morning of blue dye being sprayed on the small group who had made it as far as the edges of the common, I was whipped back to 1989: to images of purple rain in the city when the apartheid police doused anti-apartheid protesters with purple-dyed waters from a water cannon in the middle of the city.

During the standoff on the common between police and occupiers, 41 people were arrested. I have watched the filmed arrests on YouTube. A group of police officers protected by full riot gear move in among the protesters, most of whom are seated on the ground.

Young women are bundled into a van. One is heard asking: "What have I done?"

I am sickened by the images and I am sickened by what seems to me to be an overreaction of polarising proportions.

But I am confused by the politics. I am not heartened by Cosatu's Tony Ehrenreich's apparent attempt to appropriate the event and stamp his political agenda on it. Neither am I heartened by the comments on the Occupy Rondebosch Common's Facebook page . In fact, there appears to be a fair amount of name-calling and ad hominum attacks on individuals .

I'm still trying to work out why everything feels so wrong, so I take another drive around the common. It is still eerily empty except for the police cars. The evening is cooling down, but there is an edginess afoot.

I know there are two sides to every story. I know the DA runs what everyone thinks, and in many ways is right to claim, one of the most efficient provinces in the country. I know that providing housing is a complex issue that requires dancing through a maze of red tape and conflicts between provincial and national government competencies.

I know all that, but when I read Patricia de Lille's response to what happened on Friday, I am enraged again. It all sounds so reasonable.

The city is engaging with the "right" people to bring change. It is a long-term project and we should all be patient and let them get on with it.

The occupiers are playing the race card. But the mayor's contention that the occupiers had no right to come to what is commonage, open public space bequeathed to the city, to hold their summit holds a sentence that distresses me: "This [Rondebosch] is a peaceful and diverse community known mostly for its schools and retirees."

Does this mean that discussions about homelessness and poverty should not be held in what is, quite frankly, an upper-class privileged area? In all honesty, if it were not for the University of Cape Town, Rondebosch would not be very diverse at all. And yes, it has great schools, but does this mean they must be shielded from the sight of poverty and not see people from other areas raising their concerns? Can we not move past the "us" and "them" divide?

- Timeslive THE BIG READ: Crocker lives in Rondebosch

Blikkiesdorp residents fed up

A group of Blikkiesdorp residents set tyres alight and barricaded parts of Symphony Way in protest over inadequate housing on Monday.

Police tried to disperse the crowd, but they demanded to see their ward councillor.

On Tuesday morning at least three metro police vehicles were patrolling the area, which had calmed down after Monday night.

Residents say they are fed up with their living conditions.

Jacqueline Hendricks said she would fight to get a house of her own.

“Some people have been on a housing waiting list for 29 years. We are tired of it and will fight for our houses.”

Anther resident, Ricardo Joshua, said people were frustrated and sick and tired of living in Blikkiesdorp.

“They are just dumping people here. (Premier Helen) Zille designed Blikkiesdorp and put up more shacks. When are we going to get out?” he asked.

Faldelah Damons said the city made promises, but nothing was ever done.

“Enough is enough. Children are warned by gang members and we don’t want violence. We don’t want to live in blikkies anymore.”

Shamiela Jassien said they lived in disgusting conditions.

“The toilets are disgusting and women have so many infections. We come here healthy and people leave here in a coffin. Blikkiesdorp is a health risk.”

Another resident said drains were blocked.

Marshell Wolhuter said: “Crime is getting worse and children are becoming ill.”

Shameeg Damons said he had been living in the settlement for almost five years. “I have been on a housing waiting list for 10 years already.”

Ward 106 councillor Khayalethu Makeleni said he had held a meeting with residents.

“A committee from the community handed me a memorandum addressing all the issues last week.

“I will respond to the memorandum this weekend, after my meeting with the city council,” he said.

- Cape Argus

Breaking us down makes us stronger - ‘Occupy’ leader

Charges against the 40 people arrested during an “illegal gathering” at Rondebosch Common on Friday were dropped on Monday – except against organiser Mario Wanza, who is taking his fight with the city and the police to the South African Human Rights Commission.

Cosatu has also applied for permission to hold a second gathering on the common on Saturday.

Wanza appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Monday and was released on R500 bail on condition that he did not participate in any illegal gatherings until his next court appearance on March 16.

The 40 were arrested during an Occupy Rondebosch Common demonstration.

Wanza was arrested in Manenberg and spent the weekend in custody, but the other protesters were released with a warning on Friday. The group, which wanted to gather on the common for a summit on jobs, land and housing, contends that the arrests were illegal and the city did not follow the right procedure laid out in the Gatherings Act.

Wanza said he would be meeting Cosatu on Tuesday to discuss plans for Saturday’s follow-up protest. He was also to meet Pregs Govender from the Human Rights Commission on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, charges against the other protesters were withdrawn at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court due to insufficient evidence.

“Every time they try to break us down and separate us, it only makes us stronger,” Wanza said after his release, while community leaders and family members chanted and embraced him as he left court. “Our struggle is just, all we wanted to do was to go to public land to make decisions about our future. We have been tainted to say that our actions were illegal, but the condition they gave me is a clear attempt to silence me,” said Wanza.

His attorney, Edwin Grobler, said there was a good chance charges would be dropped at his next court appearance. “It was the same event and charges as the others, so there is a very good chance that the charges could be withdrawn,” he said.

About 70 supporters gathered outside Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.

Tania Kleinhans, secretary-general of the Institute for the Restoration of the Aborigines of South Africa, and members of the January Royal Authority went to court to hand over a letter in support of the campaign.

John Adams from the Ruyterwacht Tenants’ Committee said they would be continuing with plans this weekend and a summit on April 27.

Hout Bay Civic Association member Roscoe Jacobs condemned Wanza’s arrest: “We would like the City of Cape Town to know that these tactics will not derail us from pushing forth our agenda of land, housing and jobs.” 

- Cape Times

Residents left in the dark as contractor stalls electrification job

Residents in Du Noon’s Ekuphumleni informal settlement who have been desperately waiting for electricity for many years are furious after an Eskom contractor who was in the process of electrifying the area, appeared to have simply abandoned the job.

Residents in Ekuphumleni were hoping to throw out their paraffin and gas stoves, which were often the cause of shack fires in the settlement, and begin to plug in electrical appliances in their homes.

But residents are upset that the work started by contracted company Thusano Electrical in November last year came to a halt a month later, dashing their hopes.

Ekuphumleni community leader Christopher Matomela said the occupants of the 2 158 shacks in the settlement had been “very excited” when the contractor started erecting poles in the area.

But he said their excitement turned to disappointment in December when they realized work had come to a halt.

A public meeting is to be held this week to discuss what actions to take now, he said.

Thusano Electrical field supervisor Emile Kruger confirmed that the job had not been completed but refused to comment further, saying the matter was between him and Eskom.

Eskom Western Cape spokesperson Jolene Henn said Thusano Electrical was contracted by Eskom to electrify the informal settlement with an agreement that the contractor would be paid for work completed as long as it met Eskom’s standards.

“Eskom is aware of some difficulties which have delayed the project. For example, hard rock was discovered underground, which has hindered Thusano’s progress in terms of pole planting. To date the project is not finished, therefore Thusano will only be fully compensated after the project is completed and has met Eskom’s standards,” said Henn.

Henn said that previous invoices filed by Thusano had been paid. She failed to indicate when the job was expected to be completed. 

 – Westcapenews

Make your voice heard at the NCOP Hearings on the Secrecy Bill!

Following the passing of the Protection of State Information Bill (the Secrecy Bill) by the National Assembly in November 2011, the Bill now moves to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for consideration. The NCOP is holding public hearings in all 9 provinces, so make sure you and your communities attend, and make your voices heard! The current draft does not adequately protect our right to know.There has also been a call for written submissions in a variety of national newspapers. Details of the hearings, which kick off in the Western Cape on 31 January, are below. Where available, maps to the venues are on our Facebook Page. Western Cape: Tuesday 31 January 2012 Hearing 1 09:00 - 16:00 City of Cape Town Metropolitan District Municipality, Gugulethu, Venue: Gugulethu Sports Complex To join the R2K delegation for Gugulethu, call Nkwame 0782276008  Hearing 2   09:00 - 16:00 Eden District Municipality: George, Thembalethu  Venue: Thembalethu Community Hall To join the R2K delegation for George, call Tinashe 078 831 5809 or Murray 0726725468 Eastern Cape: Thursday 2 February 2012 To join the R2K delegations in the Eastern Cape, call Perme 0847815822  Hearing 1 09:00-16:00 Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality Hearing 2 09:00-16:00 O. R Tambo District Municiplaity (KSD), Umtata Venue: Vulindlela Heights Hearing 3 09:00-16:00 Joe Qadi District Municipality Venue: Barkley East Town Hall Free State: Tuesday 7 February 2012 Hearing 1 09:00-16:00 Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality Venue: Bram Fischer Hall Gauteng: Monday 14 February 2012 To join the R2K delegations in Gauteng, call Bongani 0710432221 or Raashied 0795259866 Hearing 1 09:00-16:00 Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality: Mamelodi Venue: Mamelodi West Community Hall or Vista College Hearing 2 09:00-16:00 Sedibeng District Municipality, Sharpeville Sharpeville Community Hall Kwazulu-Natal: Thursday 16 February 2012 To join the R2K delegations in KZN, call Des 0839826939  Hearing 1 09:00-16:00 Zululand District Municipality Venue: Vryheid uMondlo Township Hearing 2 09:00-16:00 Ugu District Municipality: Harding Hearing 3 09:00-16:00 eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality: Umlazi Township North West: Tuesday 21 February 2012 Hearing 1 09:00-16:00 Bojanala District Municipality Hearing 2 09:00-16:00 Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality: Klerksdorp Mpumalanga: Thursday 23 February 2012 Hearing 1 09:00-16:00, Ehlanzeni Distric Municipality: Bushbuckridge, Venue: Mapulaneng College Hearing 2 09:00-16:00: Gert Sibande District Municipality Venue: Lillian Noguyi Community Center Limpopo: Tuesday 28 February 2012 Hearing 1 09:00-16:00 Mopane District Municipality: Mamaila Hearing 2 09:00-16:00 Waterberg District Municipality: Mokopane Hearing 3 09:00-16:00 Capricorn District Municipality: Mafefe Northern Cape: 1 March 2012 Hearing 1 09:00-16:00 Francis Baard District Municipality: Galeshewe, Venue: Galeshewe Community Hall Hearing 2 09:00-16:00 John Taolo Gaetsewei District Municipality: Moshaweng, Venue: Moshaweng Multi Purpose Center Further Public Hearings: Monday 13-Tuesday 14 March 2012, Parliament, Cape Town Let's see you there in full force voicing your concerns about the Secrecy Bill! Warm regards The R2K Team

For more information, please contact us National coordinator Murray Hunter murray@r2k.org.za or right2knowsa@gmail.com  or 0726725468  R2K Gauteng Bongani Xezwi bongani.xezwi@gmail.com or 0710432221 Raashied Gallant research@fxi.org.za or 0795259866  R2K Western Cape Nkwame Cedile on nkwame.cedile@gmail.com or 078 227 6008 R2K KwaZulu Natal Des D'Sa on sdcea3@mail.ngo.za or 083 982 6939 R2K Eastern Cape Permie Isaac on 0847815822

Residents vow to ‘mobilise’ if more people arrive

Blikkiesdorp residents have vowed to remove any new structures in the camp.

On Friday the Western Cape High Court granted an eviction order to move Tafelsig squatters from Mitchells Plain to Blikkiesdorp.

The illegal squatters moved to the field, beside the Kapteinsklip train station in Tafelsig, last September after they were evicted from a site nearby, which is owned by the City of Cape Town.

Alie Blankenberg, 39, a community leader, said residents would mobilise if the city tried to move anyone else into Blikkiesdorp.

“The city is pushing more and more people into poverty. How long do we still have to stay here?

The community said if they had to bring 1976 back into Cape Town, the time when people stood up to apartheid, then they would bring it back.

“We as community leaders can only help up to a point, the community decides what they want to do.”

Ricardo Joshua, 35, who has been living in Blikkiesdorp for more than a year, said they were fed up. “The city is only taking note of people living outside the Western Cape. A structure like this is what animals live in. It is our human right to have our own house.”

Lenaise Titus, who has been living in the area for three months after being moved from Swartklip in Tafelsig, said sanitation was inadequate. “Blikkiesdorp was already full when we moved in here. If the city comes to build structures, we will protest against it.”

Community leader Jerome Daniels said residents didn’t want any more structures in Blikkiesdorp.

Ernest Sonnenberg, the mayoral committee member for housing, said: “The intention is for them (Tafelsig backyarders) to be moved to Blikkiesdorp. It’s the only emergency site the city has available.”

- Cape Argus

Charges dropped after Common protest

Charges were dropped on Monday against all 41 people arrested in connection with an illegal gathering at Rondebosch Common.

More than 100 people gathered outside Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday and celebrated the outcome.

Mario Wanza, Proudly Manenberg chairman, said this was a “major victory” for the people. They had the right to protest and police had no right to arrest them if they were not breaking any laws, said Wanza.

Wanza, however, will make his second appearance before Athlone Magistrate’s Court on March 16 after a brief appearance on Monday.

He was arrested in Manenberg on Friday before the initiative got off the ground.

He was released on R500 bail, on condition that he didn’t take part in any illegal protests.

“That my charge wasn’t dropped shows victimisation. We are considering (bringing) charges against the mayor for abuse of power,” said Wanza.

Meanwhile, an application has been made to the City of Cape Town for another protest in a week’s time. Cosatu has made a separate application.

Yushra Adams, a member of the newly formed Democratic Left Front, an anti-capitalist movement, said they would continue to invade all open land in Cape Town, including golf courses.

“There are too many golf courses in Cape Town and no houses. The government of this country only cares for the rich. We have a constitution, but our rights are not respected,” she said.

“We are put on the periphery, in the dump stations of the Western Cape. We need decent houses, not soup and itchy blankets.”

Weekend Argus reported that the Common was turned into a war zone on Friday as protesters, outnumbered by a huge police contingent, were sprayed with blue dye.

Scenes of chaos followed as police arrested the group, throwing people into the back of police vans, Casspirs and a police minibus.

They were taken to police stations at Mowbray, Claremont and Rondebosch.

- Cape Argus

Outrage over arrests on Rondebosch Common

A storm has erupted after protest action at Rondebosch Common, with organisers planning to lodge a complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission, claiming the city’s show of force was “overkill” and “illegal”.

About 40 protesters, including chief organiser Mario Wanza, were arrested during a demonstration by campaigners who had not obtained permission to protest. Police, who outnumbered protesters, sprayed blue dye on the crowd to disperse them on Friday.

Organisers said Wanza remained behind bars at Manenberg police station over the weekend ahead of his court appearance in Athlone on Monday. Other protesters were released and are to appear in court on Monday.

Police would not confirm or comment on Wanza’s incarceration but defended the use of force.

The City of Cape Town said the actions on Friday were the police’s decision and responsibility. Speaking on behalf of mayor Patricia De Lille, mayoral committee member Grant Pascoe said arrests were not carried out on her instructions.

“Our guys were there as back-up. It’s difficult to say why SAPS reacted the way they did. But in this instance Wanza failed to meet the requirements of the Gatherings Act. But I want to categorically state that (De Lille) said our law enforcement guys must not act heavy-handedly. (The) mayor said ‘no physicality’,” said Pascoe.

The defiant group plans a second week of protest action, with a “renaming” of the open space this weekend.

Occupy Rondebosch Common claims to have the backing of the SA Council of Churches, Cosatu, the SA NGO Coalition and the Institute for the Restoration of Aborigines of SA.

Organisers are reprinting UDF banners in a bid to revive the mass anti-apartheid organisation of the 1980s.

On Sunday, one of the organisers, Richard October, accused De Lille of having a hand in Wanza’s incarceration and for “personalising” the campaign.

Saying the group would approach the HRC on Monday, October said: “One person is still under arrest and that’s (Wanza). From what we understand it is De Lille who is personalising this matter and making it about Wanza.”

October said the SAPS and metro police contingent and the arrests were “overkill”.

De Lille singled out Wanza during her speech at last week’s council meeting and dedicated a large part of her weekly newsletter to him, branding him and his supporters “agents of destruction”.

De Lille wrote that occupations, illegal actions and invasions were all “side-paths. But they lead nowhere. All that remains at the end of these short diversions is more pain, suffering, conflict and violence. And when we descend there, we will forget where we were going, forever.”

SAPS spokesman Andre Traut told the Cape Times: “The march was illegal. They had no permission and the South African police cannot tolerate lawlessness.”

He said 26 females and 14 males were arrested.

“They did not adhere to the instruction to disperse and that’s why they were arrested,” said Traut, who refused to disclose how many police were at the scene. Weekend reports stated that there were “hundreds” of police officers and six Casspirs.

Jared Sacks of Communities for Change claimed that police acted in contravention of the Gatherings Act.

“We will come back to the common next Sunday for a renaming ceremony and we will occupy District Six and golf courses,” Sacks said, adding that they didn’t need permission to conduct a renaming ceremony on open space.

Cosatu provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich said there would be “war” on the common. “Police stopped people at many points and some from boarding trains. But Cosatu filed an application on Friday for a protest on the common on Saturday.” Organisers would call on “all white communities to join us”.

SAHRC spokesman Vincent Moaga could not be reached for comment. - Cape Times

Dept. fights housing corruption

Western Cape Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela on Wednesday said they had intensified their campaign to crackdown on housing corruption.

A total of 28 housing scam cases were investigated across Cape Town and one person was convicted of fraud.

Meanwhile, a former City of Cape Town employee appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday.

Nomkhitha Matinise is facing 16 charges of corruption.

Madikizela said, “We’ve handed over 28 projects to the Special Investigating Unit for investigation, of which 22 have been completed.”  - Eyewitness News

Battle of the Common

A usually peaceful Rondebosch Common was turned into a war zone on Friday as protesters, outnumbered by a huge police contingent, were sprayed with blue dye, arrested and thrown into the back of police vans.

With many still behind bars at the time of going to press on Friday night, they were, however, undeterred – and warned that Mowbray Golf Club would be next.

Earlier this week mayor Patricia de Lille branded Occupy Rondebosch Common organiser Mario Wanza and his supporters “agents of destruction”. And she had the police out in force from early on Friday in a bid to stop the marchers before they got anywhere near Rondebosch.

Wanza was himself arrested by police in Manenberg early in the day. But, said Farouk Davids, a protester who was with him at the time, he urged the others to continue.

The original plan was to march from various Cape Flats areas such as Mitchells Plain, Manenberg and Hanover Park, gathering at about 2pm at Athlone Stadium and then proceeding to the Common.

The protesters had warned they would “reclaim our right to the city”, occupying the Common to raise awareness about the lack of housing and jobs.

When they arrived at the stadium on Friday, a police function was under way, so they continued on the road to Rondebosch – to be met by a blockade of police who fired water cannons filled with blue dye before any of the group of just less than 40 people even made it off the pavement.

Scenes of chaos followed as police arrested the group, throwing people into the back of police vans, Casspirs and even a police minibus. They were taken to police stations at Mowbray, Claremont and Rondebosch.

Late on Friday night police spokesman Lieutenant Andre Traut said they would appear in court soon.

Amelia September, of Proudly Manenberg, said their initial plan to occupy the Common was changed on Wednesday “to show police that we were going to be peaceful”.

“We were going to march to the Common to raise awareness and make authorities aware that we are now pursuing other ways to make ourselves heard.”

Traut was adamant, however, that the event was illegal and said the organisers had not followed procedures. “Police had to act swiftly as lawlessness will not be tolerated anywhere,” he said.

Grant Pascoe, mayoral committee member for tourism, events and marketing, said on Friday night he was was also unaware of any change in the protester’s plan to occupy the Common. He added that the city had always intended respecting their right to protest.

“The unfortunate thing is that they are trying to address the issue of housing, which we are also concerned about,” said Pascoe.

“We would love them to come and discuss it with us through community forums and various other channels. We do not want to see people resorting to illegal activities as we have seen today,” Pascoe said, adding that the city wanted to help people by working with them, “through the community”.

But Jared Sacks, of Communities for Social Change which was helping drive the protest, warned they would “not be deterred”.

“We will occupy every golf course, we will occupy every piece of vacant land until both the DA and ANC governments listen to the people instead of the corrupt business people and big corporates who fund their election campaigns, and dictate land, economic and fiscal policy,” he said.

He even ended in a slanging match with Cosatu’s Tony Ehrenreich, leader of the ANC in the city council, who was among the protesters.

Ehrenreich condemned the police’s decision to use force on the crowd, accusing local government of failing the community.

“The police’s reaction was inappropriate. I am not sure if it is because black people cannot come and protest on the Common.”

He revealed, too, that Cosatu had already applied to gather on the Common next Saturday. He promised that 1 000 protesters would be present.

Daniel Ras, from the Mitchells Plain Forum, added his voice to the anger.

“How can this amount of force be available for a peaceful march?” he asked. “Why do police not implement this much manpower to come and sweep crime off the streets of our communities?” 

- Weekend Argus

Ex-official jailed for taking cash from fire victims

A former City of Cape Town employee was found guilty on Thursday of talking fire victims who had lost their homes into giving her money for a place on the housing waiting list.

Nomkitha Matinisi, 48, who had initially pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to five years in jail and convicted on eight counts of corruption at the Commercial Crimes Court.

The mother of two from Langa worked at the city’s Department of Housing office for three years during which time she received R16 500 from eight Langa residents.

Magistrate Amrith Chabillal said that Matinisi had fabricated a so-called “longer and shorter process” in terms of the waiting list, where the “shorter process” meant residents could pay her money to jump the queue.

“It was nothing but a figment of Matinisi’s imagination. (Matinisi) would offer the ‘shorter process’, helping those who were not on the list. Out of desperation, people would agree and hand over the money.

“There was no such thing as a long and short process,” he said.

In 2005, a fire claimed the homes of more than 500 Langa residents. The city had old hostels renovated for fire victims to rent. However, a waiting list had to be drawn up.

As a member of the community and employee at the Housing Department, Matinisi was given the duty of liaising between the city and residents to ensure that the fire victims received new homes.

For the past seven years, the majority of these victims have been living in shacks and old run-down buildings while some had received “assistance” from Matinisi.

About 30 people crammed into the public gallery at the court to hear her fate.

After sentencing, the crowd – mostly pensioners – ululated and danced in a circle shouting “down Nomkhitha, down!”

An elderly woman, Nophela Cuba, said she had been on the waiting list since 2007 and had still not been given a house.

“Because of (Matinisi), I live in an old shack which I am upset about. It is so old, there are rats in my house.

“People who are not on the list are receiving houses illegally before us.

“That (Matinisi) was found guilty made me extremely happy,” she said flinging her hands in the air.

The court heard testimonies of eight witnesses since the start of the trial on Monday.

According to Chabillal, who read the testimonies out in court yesterday, witnesses said they visited the Housing Department’s offices in Langa in an attempt to find out their position on the housing waiting lists.

“On count six, the witness testified that he visited the Housing Department’s offices. He was helped by the accused (Matinisi) and she asked him whether he was prepared to receive housing via the long or short process. The witness agreed to take the short process.

“The witness then testified that (Matinisi) told him to stand aside while she helped other people. She then called him to her office where she’d offered to help via the short process,” Chabillal said.

Chabillal went on to say the witness testified that Matinisi asked for R4 000 in exchange for “her assistance”.

“Out of desperation, (the witness) agreed.

“The following day, he handed over the money and received keys to a unit and an envelope with an address on the front,” he said.

Matinisi was previously convicted for theft in 1988 which she denied. - Cape Times

Sexwale to join Antarctica climate change expedition

Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale will be joining a climate change expedition to the Antarctica this weekend.

The expedition, called Destination: Reality 2012, aimed to resolve doubts about the seriousness of climate change and the crisis facing the world, the Human Settlements Department said on Thursday.

The team was convened by Climate Reality project founder and chairperson and former US Vice President Al Gore. Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change executive secretary Christiana Figueres, the President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and the Turner Foundation chairperson Ted Turner also formed part of the team.

The 116-strong group would depart for the Antarctica from Ushuaia in Chile aboard the National Geographic Explorer on the January 29 and return February 5.

In a letter to expedition members, Gore said he was last in the Antarctica in 1988 and was looking forward to learning from the world scientists and a “very select group of extraordinary individuals” as they developed and shared new ways to confront and solve the climate change crisis.

“Ashore in Antarctica, we will explore its many natural wonders and observe, first hand, the dramatic impacts of climate change on the continent, and learn about what they mean for the world as a whole,” he wrote.

Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile would be acting Human Settlements Minister during this period.

- Engineering News