Well-known activist, Mzonke Poni, is under arrest and is currently being assaulted in the Macassar Village Police Station

Emergency Update:

1. mzonke sent an sms moments ago to say that a women has also been arrested and that she has a one year old baby.
2. immediately after that mzonke's phone was taken from him while he was on the line to david ntseng of the church land programme.

its time to face up to the fact that in cape town the local state is habitually violent and criminal. moreover when the courts extend some protection to the poor that are also treated with utter contempt

Emergency Press Release
Monday 1 June, 2009

This morning the interdict was delivered to the Cape Town City Manager.

The Cape Town City Council responded by sending out a large contingent of highly armed police to the site of the occupation. They said that they were there to demolish (in contempt of court and in violation of the law).

Early this afternoon there was a vibrant protest by the occupiers. During the protest the police pointed out Mzonke Poni, chairperson of the AbM Western Cape, and threatened to arrest him.

Some time after the protest, and well away from the scene, of the protest the police accosted Mzonke and threw him into the van. He was handcuffed, pepper sprayed in the eyes at point blank rage and badly assaulted.

He is now in the Macassar Village Police Station. He has not been charged.

The Macassar Village Police Station can be contacted at: 021-8571020/1/2

Once again the City of Cape Town is engaging in criminal and violent behaviour.

The Abahlali baseMjondolo lawyer, church leaders and activists from across Cape Town are rushing to the Macassar Village Police Station. Mzonke will lay charges of wrongful arrest and assault against the police.

For comment on this latest outrage by the now habitually criminal regime in the Cape Town City Hall please contact the following representatives of the Poor People’s Alliance:

Mnikelo Ndabankulu, Abahlali baseMjondolo, Durban: 079 745 0653
Landless People’s Movement (Gauteng): Maureen Mnisi –082 337 4514
Rural Network (KwaZulu-Natal): Rev. Mavuso – 072 279 2634
Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign (Western Cape): Ashraf Casiem – 076 186 1408