Shack Dwellers Movement

Abahlali baseMjondolo (Shack Dwellers Union) is the largest social movement of the poor in post-apartheid South Africa. The movement’s key demand is for “Land and Housing in the City” but it has also successfully politicized and fought for an end to forced removals and for access to education and the provision of water, electricity, sanitation, health care and refuse removal as well as bottom up popular democracy. Amongst other victories, the Abahlali have democratized the governance of many settlements, stopped evictions in a number of settlements, won access to schools and forced numerous government officials to “come down to the people.” For more information, visit http://www.abahlali.org.

A year ago, in January of 2009, poor South Africans in the Anti-Eviction Campaign, in alliance with Abahlali baseMjondolo and the Homeless People’s Movement, launched a campaign to boycott the general elections with the slogan “No Land No House No Vote.” One of the leaders, Mncedisi Twalo, explained: “As the poor people of this country, we will not be voting for our further suffering, joblessness and homelessness. … We will not participate in what is now a neo-colonialist state. We will keep pressuring whoever takes up public office.