Urgent: Abahlali and War on Want appeals to you to help us raise money for the Kennedy 12 court case
**Click here to donate now online through War on Want**
"The attacks to the informal settlement in Kennedy Rd, Durban, on the 26-27 of September 2009, left two dead, over 30 shacks where looted and destroyed and families where forced to leave with nothing. Leaders of Abahlali baseMjondolo were target and are still in hiding, fearing for their lives.
The attacks were condemned by international organizations such as Amnesty International. Articles on national and international media shed light on the events (see list below). And yet, the victims are still suffering and being neglected by South African government.
Twelve men were arrested, whom witness of the attacks claim were the ones being attacked, not the opposite. The charges? Public violence, assault and murder. Five of these men stayed in prison for 8 months, when they received bail in July. For months they suffered in prison, with constant trial postponements and no evidence being presented against them. As Jeff Guy rightly wrote on The Mercury "Justice delayed and denied for 12 Kennedy Road accused"
For a few months, the Kennedy 12 had the support of some organizations that provided with the funds to pay for lawyers, aid the families of the prisoners and the ones on bail. Unfortunately, the length of the case overwhelmed the funds provided. We currently have a set date for the trial, 29th of November 2010, but Abahlali is at this point left with no funds to pay for lawyers, or support the families.