Durban activists arrested
by Centre for Civil Society • Thursday April 01, 2004 at 09:55 AM
 pithouser@nu.ac.za 0837929009

Legal march disrupted, people assalted, arrested, appeal for solidarity

Details are still sketchy but from what I have been able to ascertain a community organisation in Mount Moriah, Durban, organised a march on a
developer's office in Umhlanga. There were many issues but they basically
seem to be about cost-recovery - rent, rates, bills for services etc.
Unusually a councillor was persuaded to come and talk to them. He told
them that they should be taking their issue to the Martin West Building in
the Durban CBD where the Durban metro has its payment collection offices
and offered to arrange a bus. While waiting for the bus 14 people were
pounced on by the police and arrested and two were injured after being
'run over' by a police car. They are now in hospital. Although they had a
permit to march they have been arrested on the grounds that they
(encouraged by the councillor) changed their plans for the march. The
arrested people are in Phoenix Police Statation. The telephone number
there is 5082300.

One of the arrested activists, Russia, has a cellphone 0836896752. They
also have a comrade who was not arrested, Liv from the Democratic
Socialist Party in Sweden 0824074959 who is trying her best to co-ordinate
some sort of legal support from outside the cells.

Again, we need a lawyer and again we'll need bail money and again we'll
need media support. I think it will also be a good idea for people to go
to the Phoenix police statation to express solidarity and to show the
police there (who are notoroiously brutual - at least one person has been
raped in that police station) that they are being watched. People outside
of Durban can phone the police station.

A bail hearing has been secured for 9:00 tomorrow at phoenix magistrate's
court. people can call Russia directly on 083689752. bail money is
urgently needed.

Richard

www.nu.ac.za/ccs/default.asp?2,27,3,380