“We are all agreed that there is a serious crisis in our country. We are being forced off our land and out
of our cities. For too long, we have been subject to evictions from our homes. For too long, the promise of housing has been downgraded to forced removal to a transit camp. These transit camps are more like prisons.” – Abahlali
baseMjondolo statement of demands, March 2011
S’bu Zikode is the founding president of the South African Shack Dwellers movement Abahlali baseMjondolo. As
a result of his activism in opposing forced evictions, including those surrounding the 2010 football World Cup held in South Africa, S’bu has lost his job, been prevented by the police from speaking on television, and been arrested and tortured by the South
African police forces.
In September 2009, the shack settlement where S’bu and his family lived was attacked by a mob reportedly affiliated
with the governing African National Congress. Violence continued for days. S’bu's home was destroyed during the violence and he and his family fled. S’bu went underground for some months because he feared for his life. After coming out of hiding S’bu successfully
sued the South African Minister of Police for violence against his person.
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