South Africa: Urgent Statement from Macambini

southern africa | indigenous struggles | non-anarchist press Monday June 15, 2009 17:20 by eMacambini Anti-Removal Committee - Macambini Development Committee

Urgent Statement from Several Members of the Macambini Development Committee and the eMacambini Anti-Removal Committee

We are concerned about recent statements made by Inkosi Kayelihle Wiseman Mathaba in the media. He was quoted as saying that he is now supporting the project by Ruwaad Holdings in Dubai to build the ‘AmaZulu World’ Themepark that will result in the forced removal of 10 000 families from their ancestral land.

He is not speaking for the community. He cannot represent the views of the Macambini masses on this question as they were not consulted. Therefore we, and the people that we have been elected to represent, distance ourselves from his pronouncements.

Our position remains consistent. We will not accept any form of ‘development’ if it results in evictions. We cannot accept any development where the masses pay the price for the enrichment of the few. However we are open to proposals for development that will create wealth for the whole community without resulting in evictions. It still seems to us that the proposed development by Sport City International will be able to achieve this. It is much smaller but much more humane.

Construction on ‘AmaZulu World’ was supposed to begin in December last year. It did not as a direct result of our struggle. We will not accept any development that results in any evictions and we will, therefore, never accept the ‘development’ proposed by Ruwaad Holdings. Neither the former Premier (S’bu Ndebele), the King or the Inkosi have the right to give the people’s birthright to Ruwaad Holdings. The Macambini people will determine their own future.

At the moment we wish to remain anonymous in order not to be pressurised by the Inkosi. However we will issue a further communication soon.

*Click here for background information on the struggle against forced removal in eMacambini.*