KC JOURNAL NO 24 JULY 2010 – Barometer of Resistance

Date Country/Town Detail of Activity Demands
22DECEMBER 2009 NEPAL – Kathmandu Communists and masses engaged in struggle with the military and country’s elite: Well over 100 000 people attended the closing rally of a three-day general strike called by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). The strike shut down virtually all business, schools and public transportation. The event was the capstone of the latest round of mass protests called by the communists in their campaign against the attempted seizure of the government in May by the allied forces of the Nepal Army and the country’s elite. l For the insubordinate leader of the traditionally royalist Nepal Army to resignl Establishment of the civilian supremacy in government of Nepal
22DECEMBER 2009 SA – Johannesburg A strike by 3000 thousand workers launched by Food and Allied Workers’ Union (FAWU) at SAB Miller’s ABI Soft Drinks Division entered its second month. The strike received huge support from workers at all four ABI production plants and triggered a one-day sympathy strike of SAB brewery workers. l End to the further use of labour brokers and casual labour
25JANUARY 2010 SA – Johannesburg: Kwa – Thema – Barcelona Residents of Barcelona, an informal settlement East of Johannesburg, gathered at 6am and blockaded roads with burning tyres and set three vehicles alight, including a bakery truck and two panel vans belonging to the municipality. l Service delivery provisions: water, electricity and RDP houses.
27JANUARY 2010 SA – Johannesburg: Elias Motsoaledi Residents at the informal settlement blocked the busy Chris Hani Road during the morning rush hour. 25 people were arrested when protesters pelted cars and clashed with the police, who fired rubber bullets. l Houses and free electricity.
28JANUARY 2010 SA – Brits – Madibeng More than 100 municipal employees protested outside the office of acting CFO Nana Masithela, demanding her dismissal. l Resignation of acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
01FEBRUARY 2010 SA – Mpumalanga: Tonga Village Police arrested 19 residents for public violence and malicious damage to property. About 400 residents barricaded the road with rocks and burning tyres. Police dispersed crowds by firing rubber bullets. l Water, houses and jobs
03FEBRUARY 2010 SA – East of Johannesburg: eTwaTwa Protesting residents barricaded Esselyn Road. They dispersed peacefully when Ekurhuleni metro police and local government officials intervened. l Better services
04FEBRUARY 2010 SA – Free State: Orangeville Police arrested 15 residents for taking part in an illegal gathering after they damaged the Metsimaholo municipal offices. They also barricaded the roads with burning tyres, tree branches and rocks. l Houses, electricity, water and basic sanitation.
08FEBRUARY 2010 Zimbabwe A strike by Zimbwean state workers demanding monthly compensation of at least US$600 a month from the current US$150 continued with little sign of negotiations in progress. The strike began with a mass meeting of public workers in Harare. Public Service Association President John Tagara said civil servants ,have been waiting in vain for salary increases since the formation of Government of National Unity in February 2006. Institutions hit by the strike included the court system, schools, and the Office of the Registrar, which issues passports and certificates of birth and death. l Increase in monthly salaries from US$150 to US$600
10FEBRUARY 2010  SA – Mpumalanga: Balfour – Siyathemba  Approximately 32 people were arrested after streets were barricaded with burning tyres, rocks, furniture and scrap metal. Police dispersed violent protesters with rubber bullets.  l Jobs, electricity and water.
11FEBRUARY 2010  SA – Port Elizabeth: Chatty Ext  Police fired rubber bullets to disperse approximately 400 protesters. Residents blocked the roads with burning tyres. Calm was restored when mayor Zanoxollo Wayile addressed the crowd. l Residents removed from a flood-prone area in 2006 have still not received schools, clinics and a police station.
16FEBRUARY 2010  SA – Limpopo – Mohlalatsi  Police arrested 150 protesters after they forcefully took pupils out of their classrooms to take part in the protest. When police arrived they threw stones at them.  l Basic services including water and roads.
16FEBRUARY 2010  SA – Newcastle: Osizweni About 1000 people blockaded roads with burning tyres and debris. Police had to disperse protesters when they refused to allow taxis and busses to pass. Pupils were stranded and could not go to school. l Service delivery.
16FEBRUARY 2010 SA – Kwadukuza: Shakaville  About 300 Shakaville residents wanted to protest outside their councillor’s house, but they dispersed peacefully when the police told them the strike was illegal.  l Housing. The ward councillor, Thulani Khuluse, did not live in the area and was unaware of their needs.
19FEBRUARY 2010 CHAD Teachers demanding more pay to deal with higher food prices entered the third day of a nationwide strike. The government called their demands “illegal” and “unjustified” because the “high cost of living is a general problem that does not concern only teachers”, said employment Minister Fatime ‘Tchombi.  l Wage increases
22FEBRUARY 2010  SA – South of Johannesburg: Orange Farm  More than 1500 protesters took to the streets over several days, disrupting traffic. They clashed with police officers who fired rubber bullets. l Quality houses and other basic amenities including sanitation.
22FEBRUARY 2010  SA – Vaal – Sharpville  A crowd of about 2000 protesters blocked off Seifo Street and other roads with burning tyres and rocks and stoned passing buses.  l Better services.
24FEBRUARY 2010  GREECE – Athens Most international travel was halted and public services thrown into disarray as thousands of Greek workers protesting austerity measures staged a general strike and joined demonstrations in the capital that turned violent. All scheduled flights into and out of the country were cancelled, international trains were not operating, bus and subway services were suspended and ferries remained in their ports. Tax offices and Courts shut down, and hospitals operated with only emergency staff members. The general strike was called by two main labour organisations which represent about 2,5 million workers. l No tax increasesl No reduction of civil servants’ vacation pay by 30%
26FEBRUARY 2010  SA – Brits – Oukasie 82 people were arrested for public violence. Protesters reportedly damaged houses of the Brits mayor and two police officers. Six people were injured during the action.  l Clean water: Residents were warned to boil the water because it was contaminated.
27FEBRUARY 2010 SA- Sedibeng – Sharpville Police arrested 13 residents who were protesting over lack of basic services. They had burnt down a councillor’s house and stoned cars. Some residents had threatened to loot shops belonging to foreigners. l Better service delivery.
01 MARCH 2010 SA – Norht West: Maboloka About 1000 residents protested against the poor quality and scarcity of their water. The residents say they have been without water since December 2009 and that the water which the Madibeng municipality supplied with trucks was insufficient, dirty and made them ill. l Clean and good quality water and other basic services.
01 MARCH 2010 SA – Vaal Triangle: Sebokeng Residents barricaded main roads with bricks and burning tyres in solidarity with Sharpville protesters. They said they also want corrupt councillors to step down. Sharpville residents accused the Sedibeng municipality of corruption and failing to provide services. l Resignation of corrupt councillors
01 MARCH 2010 SA – Johannesburg- Lenasia – Thembalihle After more than 20 years without electricity, residents of Thembalihle informal settlement, near Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, resorted to violent protests. About 2000 angry residents took to the streets armed with hammers, sticks and pangas, burnt tyres on the roads and threw stones at passing motorists in K43 Street, which separates the informal settlement from Lenasia. Police arrested 40 residents for public violence. Thembalihle does not have water, electricity and sanitation. l Provision of water, eletricity and sanitation.
02 MARCH 2010 SA – North West, Brits: Oukasie Around 5000 residents marched against poor services, calling for Madibeng executive mayor Sophie Molokoane-Machika, to resign. Reportedly, 80 people were arrested and several injured when protesters clashed with the police. l Quality drinking water and roads.
03 MARCH 2010 SA – Pretoria West: Soshanguve Extension 10 residents took to the streets and protested against lack of services by blocking roads with burning tyres and stones. l Provision of RDP houses
03 MARCH 2010 SA – East of Johannesburg: Daveyton Residents of Zenzele informal settlement took to the streets, protesting over poor services. Ekurhuleni metro police officer Vusi Mabanga said the demonstration had been peaceful. l Provision of RDP houses
05 MARCH 2010  MOROCCO  Strike shuts down Public Sector: Three major public-sector unions launched a general strike after two months of negotiations with the government reached an impasse.  l Wage increases
08 MARCH 2010  SA – Pretoria: Mamelodi East  Residents protested over the lack of services and called for the replacement of ward councillors. During the protest they barricaded streets with burning tyres.  l Provision of water, sanitation and electricity.
08 MARCH 2010 SA – Pretoria West: Soshanguve Ward 37 residents protested by obstructing the main road leading to Rosslyn with rocks, burning tyres and branches. They forced taxis off the road, demanding commuters join in. l Resignation of their incompetent councillor, Mpho Lamolal Completion of RDP houses (which has been outstanding for three years).
08 MARCH 2010  SA – Johannesburg About 1000 members of South African Students Congress (SASCO) protested at nine universities, saying it was “unfair” for the government to spend billions on stadiums for the Soccer World Cup while students struggled to pay their university fees. l Free TertiaryEducation
09 MARCH 2010  SA – Bronkhorstspruit Sixteen (16) people were arrested yesterday during a protest march in which they demanded the resignation of a councillor. The 16 people, ranging in age from 13 to 27, were arrested after they threw stones at the home of councillor Dan Mabona. The protesters also looted and attempted to torch the home of Mabona’s brother. l Resignation of the municipal councillor

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