WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING - MARIKANA ETHEKWINI EXPLODED

By Shabnam Palesa Sunday January 19 2014

You need to know this. You have the right to. Before something happens to one more person. Or me. I got into bed about 3am, exhausted and in pain, vomiting after sobbing my soul out about an hour before. In 3.5 hours while most of you were resting, Marikana CBD exploded in Cathedral Road eThekwini Durban KZN South Afrika. 9 of my Homeless Family, mostly children and teenagers, were shot in cold blood by a psychotic municipality appointed company called 'Urban Management Zone'. Beat, sprayed, exterminated. For being Poor. They say they're doing it for you. Because you want that. Because you pay them for that.

I'm giving you a summary now. I was in Denis Hurley [formerly Queen] street as I have to be everyday because of the daily terror forced on all of us, especially our most vulnerable human beings, who I promised I would stand up with last night, Saturday. It was while sitting on the pavement with my disabled homeless uncle that we heard gunshot like sounds. But we're so used to it in this ghetto warzone that is our country that we just thought it was crazy fireworks. We talked about life. About suffering. About needing to wake people up. About a man who was murdered a few days ago by the same company. Leaving a destroyed wife and 2 children even more alone and traumatised, unable to even bury him. About global revolution. I asked umalume to sleep, said I would watch over him, but he refused, wanting to talk instead. Connecting as human beings, one race.

About half an hour later, I walked to the corner of denis hurley and yusuf dadoo [formerly grey street - casbah] to locate these paid agents of destruction, with my loudhailer, camera, and self defence tools etc should we need it. Across the road, all I could see were flashing lights, a crowd, police, ambulances, other vehicles. My stomach knotted as my gut instinct said, they murdered humanity again. I walked down the street, greeted the crowd and recognised some people. They all rushed to told me what happened. My blood went cold. And I was furious.

Saps tried to block me from taking pictures, from investigating, trying to unsettle me. So traitorously insane, Familia, that they actually put their hands on me to physically remove me from the bloody area with bodies on the ground. Which we resisted in unity because we have rights! They then threatened to arrest me. Again. Blaming me for people standing up, using the loudhailer to tell the truths, name names. Saying why do I care as an "Indian". Trying to conscientise them did not work. It never does.

All the while urban management zone, metro police, 'flying squad', and unmarked vehicles swarming, staring, glaring, demanding my name which I shouted, laughing, taking photos. We eventually left the war scene after being told the victims were on their way to Addington hospital. We protest marched, singing Senzeni Na around the city. Security guards backed off. I can't begin to describe the feelings through each and all of us. We sat on Denis Hurley strt in a circle and spoke our souls out. How the municipality is forcing the poor, homeless, flatdwellers, and business owners out of our Theku, our CBD. WHY? So that the elite and their puppets can steal more land and buildings, like Early Morning Market, Warwick Avenue and Point where they stab the Poor.

Izinyoka traitors followed us, and surrounded us. It was when we begged God to help us, through the human race around us, while hugging my raped and pregnant sister, that I broke down like I did for Marikana Lonmin. I am gutted and still furious. There's so much more you need to know. We are meeting 7pm tonight in Denis Hurley. Before its too late, before they get rid of the powerful force that is awakened and united people. Before the civil war attempts [linked to Mazibuye forum's racism and metro police who stormed May Street mosque on Friday] engineered to divide and conquer us all, aimed at destabilising KZN ahead of our elections. Tell others. Tell everyone. Share this. Do something God Almighty is proud of. [Alert to all media, please contact me urgently, the people must know. Unless we don't care.] rEvolutionary Peace! Shabnam Palesa Mohamed. rEvolution South Afrika. RSA. 082 325 4136. Peace!