QQ Section in Litsha takes up tools

Tag : Hands On Tools
THE hall was packed on Saturday when the community of QQ Section inKhayelitsha launched their organisation called AbahlalibaseMjondolo, the South African shack dwellers’ movement.


Abahlali was established in Durban, early in 2005. Abahlali havedemocratised the governance of many settlements, stopped evictionsin a number of settlements, won access to schools, stopped theindustrial development of the land promised to Kennedy Road, forcednumerous government officials, offices and projects to “comedown to the people” and mounted vigorous challenges to theuncritical assumption of a right to lead the local struggles of thepoor in the name of a privileged access to the global movement,according to a statement.
QQ is taking the lead to drive a movement in the Western Cape. Theaim is to be independent from anyone.
The QQ community decided to unfold their hands to meet theirchallenges and collected five rands from each house in the area tobuild the crèche and and to get the toilet which is justoutside the crèche. The community raised about nine thousandrand with this plan.
Mzonke Poni who was re-elected as a Western Cape chairman said:“We did not want to rely on government, because thegovernment failed to give houses to people, toilets and otherthings. So we thought of coming up with alternatives.”
The crèche which is a shack is not yet completed, but theyhope that it will be fully operating by August. They need peoplewho are going to volunteer even for an hour a day to help the kidsto learn something while they are at the centre.
Poni, talking about the crèche, said: “We do not wantthe kids to eat bread and butter, but to eat a proper meal. We hopethe donations will help. It does not take a family to raise achild, but the community.”
The movement does not have funds but they think that they can do iton their own.
Mnikelo Ndabankulu, a National Public Officer said: “These isour houses. Akuyona imikhukhu (they are not shacks). That is whatwe can afford. Let us call it disadvantaged settlement. When wemarch, we do not ask for the permission from the officials, but wejust inform them about the gathering. There is no such a thing likelegal or illegal marches. The police just fight the people who arenot fighting. It is because they do not have something to do. Godshould not bless them.”
The movement is registered as a community based organisation.
It has a target of six poor students to get learnerships atuniversities every year.