52 APF activists arrested under Apartheid law
This morning, police opened fire with stun grenades on members of the Gauteng Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) who were protesting against water privatisation and the installation of pre-paid water meetings. Fivety-two APF members were arrested, including 6 children, on charges of violating the Gatherings Act.

The Gatherings Act is a piece of law dating from the Apartheid era which gives police broad powers to ban or otherwise interfere with legitimate protest action. On Thursday, mere days before the action, the Johannesburg Metro Police denied permissions for the Coalition against Water Privatisation (the original organisers of the protest) to protest, on the grounds that the protest would be violent (no previous APF protest marches have been violent), would disrupt traffic (on a Sunday!) and would constitute a threat to law and order. The Coalition, with the assistance of one of its member organisations - The Freedom of Expression Institute - immediately drew-up appeal papers to get the ban overturned in court within the 24 hour 'window' allowed. However, in an unprecedented move, the Sheriff of the Court (who is designated as the formal 'server' of such papers) refused to carry out the expressed mandate of that office to serve such papers. When the Coalition's lawyers finally managed to secure a court hearing late on Friday, the magistrate dismissed the appeal on a technicality.

Today saw the opening of the new Constitutional Court building, yet ten years after the end of Apartheid, many poor South Africans are still denied their constitutional rights to water and other basic services. This is why the APF decided that today's march had to go ahead - Apartheid-era banning orders or not!

The arrests at Constitution Hill today bring to sixty the number of protestors arrested for violating the Gatherings Act this week. Eight people were arrested in Cape Town on Wednesday when they protested against the South African - Angolan decision to repatriate thousands of Angolans, despite a continuing lack of human rights in Angola. The protestors were charged with violating the Gatherings Act by extending their protest beyond the permitted time.

At the time of writing, the APF is negotiating to have its comrades released . Already, however, they face R5000 in bail and lawyer fees. Donations to the APF Legal Fund are requested, please deposit money in the following account:

Accountholder: Anti-Privatisation Forum
Account number: 62027851452
Bank Name: First National Bank
Branch code: 250-805
Branch Name: Bank City Branch
Street Address: 3 FIRST PLACE, BANKCITY, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
SWIFT code: FIRN ZAJJA046
Please email Dale McKinley at  drdalet@metroweb.co.za if you deposit a payment or for updates on the APF detainees.