Further Update: Alexandra occupation

Friday April 3
Police poised to shoot on 3,ooo residents occupying houses

The Alexandra Renewal project has issued a fresh eviction order (after using an outdated order to intimidate the people) authorising police to shoot on the current occupants of the RDP houses in River Park, Alexandra. This is how the ANC government is dealing with the enforced mass homelessness of the millions of impoverished working class. The roll out the red carpet to the Fifa capitalists, spend billions in a short space of time on stadiums, while not a care is given for the millions in shacks and backyards.

There is currently a tense standoff between police, with arms at the ready, and 3000 unarmed residents of the RDP houses in River Park. The media are invited to come and bear witness to this.

for comment on the scene call Thabo Modisane ph 0781297797

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Contrary to earlier newsreports that the people who had occupied the River Park RDP houses had been evicted by the police, the community numbering thousands are still there. At 6pm today they are having a mass meeting to prepare for resistance against pending police assault. It has been reported that a number of government trucks are on the way, under the protection of a heavy police presence, to attempt to evict the community. The community are determined to resist. Many have lost their young children through preventable disease, through cholera, through electrocution through city council negligence, many have been repeatedly evicted from vacant factories. The community is saying enough is enough.

Their central demand remains DECENT HOUSING FOR ALL! The community has also applied for a march on the High court on the 7th April to protest against this undemocratic, pro-capitalist institution.

Meanwhile the housng department still clings to the notion that people can only be allocated houses if they are on a list provided by the local ANC councillor. The ANC are the managers for the capitalists to keep the working class in desperation and homeless- the only beneficiaries are the imperialist banks, who thrive on profiteering from the pain of the majority.

Down with the bailout of the banks! Bail out the working class by expropriating the banks and the construction companies- place them under workers' control!

the battle for River Park looms..........

for comment on the scene ph Thabo Modisane ph 0781297797