Abahlali baseMjondolo (membership & structures)

Abahlali baseMjondolo is a South African social movement. It is based in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape with the bulk of its membership in the former. The structure of the organisation is centred on open mass assemblies and elected committees at the community level and Annual General Meetings and open committee meetings at the movement level. The movement also holds a number of rallies, workshops and political youth camps open for all its members to attend.[1][2][3][4]

See also: Abahlali baseMjondolo

Membership

The movement claims to have around 25 000 active supporters and 10,000 card-carrying members in over 64 different shack settlements.[5][6][7] The bulk of these members are in Kwazulu-Natal. However, the new Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape has a sizable membership in the township of Khayelitsha.

Structure

The movement has affiliated settlements, branches, and individual members in settlements which do not have branches.[8] They claim to have a bottom-up structure where members direct their branches and their branches direct the movement executive.[9] In addition, Abahlali have a movement level Youth League and Women's League which are elected separately from the movement leadership at their own Annual General Meetings.[10][11][12]

Structure of movement secretariat

The movement elects its members to hold the following positions at the Annual General Meeting (includes the current holders of these positions as of 2010):[13]

  • President: Mr S'bu Zikode
  • Vice President: Mr M Mdlalose
  • General Secretary: Mr Thapelo Mohape
  • Deputy Secretary: Mr T Lembede
  • Chairperson: Mrs Nomusa Nxumalo
  • Treasure: Mr Bhekizwe Simelane
  • Coordinator: Mr T.J Ngongoma
  • Media Liaison Officer: Mr T.J Ngongoma

Branches

The movement claims to have branches and members in the following shack settlements in KwaZulu-Natal (in alphabetical order):[14][15]

  • Arnett Drive shack settlement (Reservoir Hills)
  • Foreman Road (Reservoir Hills)
  • Hillary Flats
  • Howick shack settlement (Pietermaritzburg)
  • Kennedy Road (Reservoir Hills)
  • Kennedy Road in exile
  • KwaMaphulelo shack settlement (Stanger)
  • K-Section shack settlement (KwaMashu)
  • Lindelani shack settlement (Ntuzuma)
  • eMatinini (Siyanda)
  • Motala Heights A shack settlement (Pinetown)
  • Motala Heights B shack settlement (Pinetown)
  • New Hanover shack settlement
  • New eMaus shack settlement and decayed church houses (Pinetown)
  • Palmiet shack settlement (Clare Estate)
  • Pemary Ridge shack settlement (Reservoir Hills)
  • Portview Flats (Beach front)
  • Richmond Farm A transit camp (Near KwaMashu)
  • Richmond Farm B transit camp (Near KwaMashu)
  • Ridgeview transit camp (Chesterville)
  • eShowe Shack settlement
  • Tongaat shack settlement
  • Siyanda A transit camp (Near KwaMashu)
  • Siyanda B transit camp (Near KwaMashu)
  • Siyanda B5 transit camp (Near KwaMashu)

References
  1. The Work of violence:a timeline of armed attacks at Kennedy Road Archived 2011-08-26 at the Wayback Machine by Kerry Chance, School of Development Studies Research Report, 83, July 2010.]
  2. Churches want justice
  3. UnFreedom Day – “Iam not turning back anymore” Durban shackdweller
  4. Abahlali baseMjondolo Youth League Camp Motala Heights 30 - 31 July 2010
  5. The opening remarks of S'bu Zikode, President of the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement of South Africa,at the Center for Place, Culture and Politics at the CUNY Graduate Center (NYC), 16 November 2010
  6. ANC Intimidates Witness X, More Intimidation and More Killing in Kennedy Road, 23 December 2010
  7. The Work of violence:a timeline of armed attacks at Kennedy Road Archived 2011-08-26 at the Wayback Machine by Kerry Chance, School of Development Studies Research Report, 83, July 2010.]
  8. Pierre de Vos In defense of the Internet
  9. ANC Intimidates Witness X, More Intimidation and More Killing in Kennedy Road, 23 December 2010
  10. Pierre de Vos In defense of the Internet
  11. AbM Women's League Launch - 9 August 2008
  12. Abahlali Youth League Secretariat
  13. 2010 Annual General Meeting
  14. World Habitat Day
  15. The ANC's coup in Kennedy Road
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