SJC and Ndifuna Ukwazi: March to Parliament for Justice and Inequality

According to the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) and Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU), every day in Khayelitsha people are robbed, raped and murdered. Every day women, men, and children are deprived of the most basic rights to life, safety, security, justice and equality.

The Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry's report was released on 25 August 2014. Evidence before the Commission revealed that irrational and unjustifiable Apartheid-era allocations of police resources persist today. In Cape Town's top ten safest areas, there is 1 police officer for every 178 people. In Cape Town’s top ten most unsafe areas, there is 1 police officer for every 1043 people.

Yet despite a year of sustained attempts to meaningfully engage with the National Minister of Police, Nathi Nhleko, he failed to respond to the Commission's report. A response by National Commissioner Riah Phiyega, marked “Strictly Confidential” was released to the public by the Premier of the Western Cape on 7 August 2015. The response was far from satisfactory; it was an attack on the dignity and security of SAPS and the residents of Khayelitsha.

Over the next two weeks, SJC and NU will be implementing a programme of mass action. They will be organising pickets across the city culminating in a march to Parliament on 25 August 2015 - the one year anniversary of the Commission. They will then stage a 72-hour sit-in and sleep-in outside Parliament.

If Minister Nhleko fails to respond adequately, the SJC and Ndifuna Ukwazi will have no option but to take legal action against him.

Join the march to Parliament: - Date: Tuesday, August 25 - Time: 11:00am - Place: Keizersgracht Street, Cape Town

For more information, contact:

Axolile Notywala - 074 386 1584 - axolile@sjc.org.za

Find out more information on the SJC's website.