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Freedom for All? Members of Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front threatened, activities disrupted, forced into hiding

category southern africa | repression / prisoners | feature author Friday October 16, 2015 16:18author by Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front - ZACFauthor email zacf at riseup dot net Report this post to the editors

Condemn political violence, terror

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Condemn political violence, terror

South Africa, 16 October 2015: On the evening of Friday 9 October 2015, a militant of the Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front in the impoverished black township of Khutsong (west of Johannesburg), was threatened with violence for his political work by a group of youths.

The next morning, a political school that he and another member run in the area, was forcibly disrupted by an even larger mob. The two Zabalaza comrades were fortunately able to escape, but have had to flee to a neighbouring township where they are now in hiding. Meanwhile the thugs have returned to the house where “Tebogo” lives, looking for him.

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Freedom for All?

Members of Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front threatened, activities disrupted, forced into hiding

Condemn political violence, terror

South Africa, 16 October 2015: On the evening of Friday 9 October 2015, a militant of the Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front in the impoverished black township of Khutsong (west of Johannesburg), was threatened with violence for his political work by a group of youths. The next morning, a political school that he and another member run in the area, was forcibly disrupted by an even larger mob.

On the Friday night, comrade “Tebogo” (real name concealed for security reasons) was confronted by eight men, He was instructed to “stop promoting anarchism” and resisting the government because “the African National Congress [ANC] must rule the township” or face severe consequences. On the Saturday morning, comrades “Tebogo” and “Boitumelo” (*real name concealed) were confronted by around 15 thugs while preparing to host the monthly ZACF / Zabalaza political education session at a local venue. They were able to prevent the group gaining entry, but the event was disrupted. Rocks were thrown, threats were made.

The two Zabalaza comrades were fortunately able to escape, but have had to flee to another township where they are now in hiding. Meanwhile the thugs have returned to the house where “Tebogo” lives, looking for him. We have made every effort to help our comrades in this difficult time.

We now appeal to all progressive structures to join us in opposing and condemning these blatant acts of intimidation and terror against the black working class. The events in Khutsong are, sadly, not isolated incidents. As such, they should be viewed as extremely serious, potentially deadly.

It is common for township-based political party elites to hire thugs to do the dirty work of intimidating and attacking activists. Earlier this year, for example, a community meeting organised by activists from Abahlali baseFreedom Park, south of Johannesburg, was attacked by thugs allegedly hired by a local ANC councillor and his cronies. Several community members were hospitalised, one put in intensive care. Attacks on basic human rights and freedom are ongoing.

We are relieved that our comrades from Khutsong did not suffer the same fate, and that the comrades with whom we work in Freedom Park continue to fight back.

But we are also conscious that no one is out of harm’s way, that similar fates await activists who dare to speak out and stand up against the exploitation, misrule, corruption, discrimination and profiteering that oppresses the black working class – and that benefits the elites.

We urge activists fighting for a better South Africa, a better world, and a brighter future, to stand firm and to refuse to allow themselves to be bullied and intimidated into inaction by the ruling party’s henchmen. For surely we can only expect such terror to increase as the working class continues to rise.

We therefore ask organisations and individuals to:

1. sign onto this statement by emailing zacf[at]riseup.net or by using the comment function below
2. circulate this news widely
3. expose all instances of political terror to the public and media

Stop political intimidation of activists in our townships!
Defend the right to freedom of expression and freedom of association!
No one is free, until all people are free!

https://www.facebook.com/zabalazanews
Zabalaza.net

Related Link: http://zabalaza.net

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 #   Title   Author   Date 
   International solidarity with ZACF!     LCG/GGL    Fri Oct 16, 2015 19:36 
   Stop the violence     Alexander Reid Ross    Sat Oct 17, 2015 00:21 
   ZACF repression     Mike Harris    Sat Oct 17, 2015 01:13 
   hands off anarchist     vusi    Sat Oct 17, 2015 04:10 
   Stop The Violence!     Benson M. M.    Sat Oct 17, 2015 04:47 
   cde     Cabral    Sat Oct 17, 2015 17:34 
   cde     Cabral    Sat Oct 17, 2015 17:34 
   Solidarity     Workers Solidarity Movement    Sat Oct 17, 2015 21:08 
   Gauteng R2K Campaign declares solidarity     R2K    Sat Oct 17, 2015 21:22 
 10   Solidarity against repression (Netherlands)     Bert Altena    Sat Oct 17, 2015 21:26 
 11   South Africa solidarity, Cape Town, Food not Bombs     Lara Reddy    Sat Oct 17, 2015 21:28 
 12   Soldiarity and statement by Unemployed People's Movement (South Africa)     Unemployed People's Movement (South Africa)    Sun Oct 18, 2015 10:01 
 13   Soldiarity     #Antifa from Rio de Janeiro    Sun Oct 18, 2015 10:04 
 14   International Anti-Fascist Movement/ Spanish translation     ZACF    Sun Oct 18, 2015 10:11 
 15   Solidaridad desde Argentina     Federación Libertaria Argentina    Sun Oct 18, 2015 10:14 
 16   Nos solidarizamos con las/os compañeras/os de ZACF (Zabalaza Anarcho-Comunist Front)     Federación Anarquista de Rosario    Mon Oct 19, 2015 00:08 
 17   Solidarity     Fanie Jansen van Rensburg    Mon Oct 19, 2015 00:25 
 18   Solidarity from the (U.S.) W.S.A.     Workers Solidarity Alliance (W.S.A.)    Mon Oct 19, 2015 08:08 
 19   Solidarity with our comrades in the ZACF!     Michael Kolhoff    Mon Oct 19, 2015 08:28 
 20   You are not alone. We denounce attacks against you either from ANC and its associates or not.     Ntsika Dapo    Tue Oct 20, 2015 06:29 
 21   Solidarity with our comrades from ZACF     Gio    Tue Oct 20, 2015 19:58 
 22   Portuguese translation of ZACF statement by the comrades in Brazil     Anarchist Federation of Rio de Janeiro (Federação Anarquista do Rio de Janeiro – FARJ),    Tue Oct 20, 2015 21:34 
 23   Statement of soldiarity     Anarchist Federation of Rio de Janeiro (Federação Anarquista do Rio de Janeiro – FARJ),    Tue Oct 20, 2015 21:36 
 24   Solidarity     Mametlwe Sebei    Fri Oct 23, 2015 03:14 
 25   The Workers and Socialist Party / WASP (of South Africa) expresses its solidarity with the ZACF comrades and their struggle.     Mametlwe Sebei - Workers and Socialist Party / WASP (South Africa)    Mon Oct 26, 2015 18:10 
 26   Any update?     Syndicalist    Mon Oct 26, 2015 20:34 
 27   In Solidarity     Leroy Maisiri    Mon Oct 26, 2015 20:39 
 28   Updates     Lucien van der Walt    Tue Oct 27, 2015 14:15 
 29   Solidarity from Canada     Common Cause    Tue Oct 27, 2015 22:43 
 30   Solidarity with our comrades in South Africa (English, French)!     Coordination des Groupes Anarchistes (France)    Tue Oct 27, 2015 22:47 
 31   Support from Sydney (Australia)     Sid Parissi    Tue Oct 27, 2015 22:49 
 32   groundWork stands with Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Front members     Megan Lewis    Tue Oct 27, 2015 22:51 
 33   STOP THE REPRESSION     Thomas Mnguni    Tue Oct 27, 2015 22:53 
 34   Solidarieda (Brazil)     Liberto    Tue Oct 27, 2015 22:55 
 35   Stop political intimidation of activists in our townships!     Zarina Patel (Kenya)    Tue Oct 27, 2015 22:57 
 36   We salute brave ZACF members and all other progressive groups who seek political freedom and freedom from all forms of oppression     Vanessa Burger    Tue Oct 27, 2015 22:59 
 37   :( best wishes, strength to you brothers and sisters.     Cat ji    Tue Oct 27, 2015 23:00 
 38   Freedom for our comrade!     Collectif anarchiste Emma Goldman    Tue Oct 27, 2015 23:02 
 39   Please add my signature to the call in solidarity with the two Zabalaza activists.     Dr Laurence Cox    Tue Oct 27, 2015 23:03 
 40   MST IN SOLIDARITY WITH ZABALAZA ANARCHIST COMMUNIST FRONT     Augusto Juncal (MST, Brazil)    Wed Oct 28, 2015 18:36 
 41   Freelance Journalist     Mandla Zibi    Fri Nov 13, 2015 19:12 
 42   Alls well?     Syndicalist    Wed Nov 25, 2015 00:38 
 43   So far, so good ...     ZACF    Sun Dec 13, 2015 22:34 
 44   Solidarity with ZACF     Stuart Highway    Tue Dec 15, 2015 15:06 


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