[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Political games with xenophobia: Dbn, Jhb, CT

[Devan Pillay]

Yes, I know Uriel and its his name.  Think he works for NIA. Comes from
exile circles. His warning must be counterposed to that of
Fraser-Moleketi advising her branch members to attend the march....
interesting times....

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Patrick Bond [mailto:pbond at mail.ngo.za]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 8:10 PM
> To: SA discussion list
> Subject: [DEBATE] : (Fwd) Political games with xenophobia: Dbn, Jhb,
CT
> 
> * I gather from a reliable source that it was Mike Sutcliffe who
> personally prohibited the Durban march that the immigrant community
was
> planning up West Street last Saturday. The application was timely. The
> reason he gave (in writing) was 'security concerns', a nonsense
excuse.
> Cosatu also endorsed the application, but that did no good. Sutcliffe
> has tried this trick of denial of permission to protest at least twice
> before: in South Durban against SDCEA's application to picket Engen
this
> year, and two years ago he banned Abahlali's last march to town. In
both
> cases he took some of the wind out of the demonstrators' sails but
they
> persevered, and I suspect they will here again.
> 
> * Joburg also has dastardly politics emanating from the ruling party.
> Someone called "Uriel" sent this note around widely by sms last week;
it
> was forwarded from Luthuli House. Anyone know this guy, or is it a
> pseudonym?
> "Hi Comrades - I'm sure by now you've all received an sms inviting you
> to a march on Saturday, 'to defend immigrants'. The march is organised
> by a coalition of forces with an ultra-left agenda, the Social
Movements
> Indaba, which includes the APF. It is very necessary for progressive
> forces to stand up and be counted on these matters. However, I cannot
> subject myself to the leadership of the SMI. I was very encouraged
when
> I heard that a Youth League in the East Rand is coordinating the
relief
> effort in its community. This is what the ANC cadres and branches
should
> do - provide leadership on the ground. I'm sure the NEC will pronounce
> and provide leadership on these issues when it meets tomorrow. Think
> carefully about participating."
> 
> * Cape Town's politics of xenophobia are even more surreal:
> 
> ***
> 
> DA responds to Manuel's attack on Zille
> By Michael Hamlyn, I-Net Bridge Published:May 27, 2008
> 
> 
> It has taken a few days, but the Democratic Alliance hit back at the
> surprising attack on their leader Helen Zille, the mayor of Cape Town,
> made by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.
> 
> On Thursday last week, Manuel accused Zille of fanning the flames of
> violence when she spoke of the role of foreigners in supplying the
drug
> tik to young people.
> 
> Making a member's statement in the National Assembly Mark Lowe told
the
> house: "While Helen Zille and the DA-led coalition have worked
> tirelessly in the city of Cape Town to bring this crisis under control
> since its inception with virtually no assistance from the ANC
government
> at provincial or national level it would be fair to argue that the
> flames which Zille is now forced to put out were in fact sparked by
the
> ANC's own Lumka Yengeni."
> 
> Lowe explained: "Yengeni's planned meeting with foreigners and locals
in
> Du Noon, ostensibly to promote peace and community cohesion following
> the attacks across Gauteng, was nothing short of a shambles.
> 
> "Members of the community waited a full two hours in a packed hall for
> her and other members of the ANC to show up (she never did). The
aborted
> meeting which was due to take place on the very same day that Hon
Manuel
> launched his disingenuous attack on the leader of the DA - is said to
> have caused the tension which sparked the subsequent flare up of
> violence in the Western Cape."
> 
> Lowe called on Manuel to apologise "for his ill-conceived attack, and
> concede to the irony of the fact that it was members of his own caucus
> that really fanned the flames of the violence".
> 
> Replying to the statement Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota protested
that
> Lowe was wrong to say that there was no assistance from the government
> to cope with the crisis in Cape Town.
> 
> He said that the defence force had given shelter to a thousand
refugees
> on a military base "at the request of the mayor personally made to
> myself".
> 
> 


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