COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS TELL THEIR STORY DRIVING CHANGE IN JOHANNESBURG & EKURHULENI Edited by Claire Bénit-Gbaffou With: Muneebah Kara, Ntandokwabo James, Seyco Manyaka, Tshanda Mbuyi, Thembani Mkhize, Edward Molopi, Siphelele Ngobese, Lentsoe Pagiwa, Mikhaela Sack, Lesego Tshuwa, Loyiso Tunce. A Project led by CUBES & NRF SARChI: Development Planning and Modelling, Wits University, June 2013. Table of Content TABLE OF CONTENT TABLE OF CONTENT 1 TABLE OF FIGURES 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 11 INTRODUCTION 13 CLAIRE BÉNIT-GBAFFOU, MUNEEBAH KARA, TSHANDA MBUYI, EDWARD MOLOPI, LOYISO TUNCE 13 WHY COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS? 13 ACTIVISTS, LEADERS, AND THE CITY 14 WHAT MAKES A LEADER, AND WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY LEADER? 15 THE DIFFERENCE THAT CONTEXTS MAKE IN COMMUNITY LEADERS’ CHOICES 17 DRIVING CHANGE IN THE CITY: WHAT CHANGE(S)? 18 WHY A REPORT & BOOK BASED ON A COLLECTION OF INTERVIEWS? 19 METHODOLOGY 20 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT 24 CONTEXT 1: ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP, JOHANNESBURG 27 SIPHELELE NGOBESE, LOYISO TUNCE 27 ELLEN CHAUKE IN ALEXANDRA 28 THABO MOPASI IN ALEXANDRA 28 ELLEN CHAUKE 31 INTERVIEWERS: LOYISO TUNCE AND THEMBANI MKHIZE 31 BACKGROUND TO ELLEN’S ACTIVISM 31 1 Table of Content FACING THE THREAT OF EVICTION 32 THE COURT CASE 33 STAYING IN A TRANSIT CAMP 33 A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN WYNBERG AND BEYOND 35 ON COMMUNITY BUILDING AND XENOPHOBIA 36 BECOMING A PARALEGAL WITH THE APF 37 MOTIVATION AND DRIVE 38 THABO MOPASI 41 INTERVIEWERS: SIPHELELE NGOBESE AND MUNEEBAH KARA 41 BACKGROUND 41 A PASSION FOR EDUCATION 42 BEING A CATALYST TO KEY PROJECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALEX 44 A MEDIA ACTIVIST BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE ANC AND THE PEOPLE? 46 VISION FOR ALEXANDRA’S DEVELOPMENT, AND FIGHT AGAINST THE PROVINCIAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT 47 THE GREATER ALEXANDRA DEVELOPMENT FORUM 49 KEEPING A HANDLE ON NARRATIVES ON ALEX THROUGH FILM AND TOURISM 50 ALEX AND THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA 52 CONTEXT 2: INNER CITY JOHANNESBURG – HILLBROW/YEOVILLE 55 CLAIRE BÉNIT-GBAFFOU, THEMBANI MKHIZE, SIPHELELE NGOBESE, LESEGO TSHUWA 55 HILLBROW 55 YEOVILLE 56 “AN INNER CITY JACK OF ALL TRADES?” PATIENCE NOGCANTSI’S ACTIVIST PATH, FROM ACT-STOP, TO YEOVILLE RATEPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION 57 THE INNER CITY RESOURCE CENTRE (ICRC) TO THE (HOUSING) RESCUE: SHEREZA SIBANDA AS INNER CITY ‘EDUCATOR’ 58 PATIENCE XOLISWA NOGCANTSI 59 INTERVIEWERS: SIPHELELE NGOBESE AND MIKHAELA SACK 59 GAINING INDEPENDENCE AND BECOMING ACTIVE 59 ACT-STOP AND ITS INFLUENCE 60 BEING A LANDLORD: STRATEGIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 61 2 Table of Content AN ACTIVIST 62 ACCESS TO THE CITY 63 THE CITY AS A MELTING POT 64 FREEDOM, THE RIGHT TO THE CITY AND OWNERSHIP AS A MEANS OF INDEPENDENCE 65 CORRUPTION VS “DOING THE RIGHT THING”: THE OCCUPATION OF RESIDENTIAL SPACE FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES 65 CLEANLINESS AND SANITATION AS LOCI OF LOCAL ACTIVISM 67 LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF BEING A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN 67 YEOVILLE RATE PAYERS ASSOCIATION 68 SHEREZA SIBANDA 71 INTERVIEWERS: MIKHAELA SACK AND LESEGO TSHUWA 71 AN ACTIVIST FROM SCHOOL 71 THE ACT-STOP YEARS 72 FORMING THE ICRC 72 WORKING FROM AND WITH CALS AT WITS UNIVERSITY 74 MENTORSHIP AND INFLUENCES 75 “PARTIAL ACHIEVEMENTS” 75 LACK OF UNITY AMONGST TENANTS, A CHALLENGE FOR ORGANISATION 78 DISCONTINUITIES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE – THE FAILED INNER CITY CHARTER PROCESS 78 FOCUSING ON WOMEN AND HEALTH ISSUES 79 THE CITY SEES US AS ‘THE LEFTISTS’ 81 YOU DON’T HAVE LAND BUT YOU HAVE BUILDINGS 82 ALLIANCE WITH PROPERTY INVESTORS? 83 AN INNER CITY PEOPLE’S MANIFESTO 83 DREAMS FOR THE INNER CITY 84 CONTEXT 3: DIEPSLOOT & JOHANNESBURG NORTH 87 CLAIRE BÉNIT-GBAFFOU, TSHANDA MBUYI, NTANDOKAWABO JAMES 87 DIEPSLOOT AND KYALAMI 87 SAM SIKHOSANA IN DIEPSLOOT 89 PAPI SATHEKGE IN DIEPSLOOT 90 3 Table of Content KRISTIN KALLESEN IN KYALAMI 90 OLIVIER LÉVÊQUE IN NORTHERN JOHANNESBURG, AND BEYOND 91 LOCAL & METROPOLITAN ACTIVISM 91 PAPI SATHEKGE 93 INTERVIEWERS: TSHANDA MBUYI AND LENTSOE PAGIWA 93 BACKGROUND 93 WHAT IS AN ACTIVIST, WHAT IS A LEADER? 94 INVESTING IN DIEPSLOOT YOUTH 95 PUBLIC GAINS, PRIVATE LOSSES? 96 POLITICS AND ARTS 97 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SUPPORT NETWORKS 99 GAINING SKILLS AND TRAINING OTHERS 100 MULTIPLE POSITIONS, POWER AND RED TAPE 102 CHANGING DIEPSLOOT, AND PERCEPTIONS OF DIEPSLOOT 103 SERVICE DELIVERY PROTESTS, PERCEPTIONS AND POLITICS 106 DRIVE AND CHALLENGES 107 SAM BLESSING SIKHOSANA 109 INTERVIEWERS: TSHANDA MBUYI AND EDWARD MOLOPI 109 BACKDROP 109 FROM FOUNDER OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FORUM TO BECOMING A WARD COMMITTEE MEMBER IN CHARGE OF CBOS 110 COMPETING FOR TENDERS 111 BECOMING A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKER 112 A BROKER BETWEEN CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE STATE 113 CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND COMMUNITY COHESION 113 XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS 114 BRINGING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT INTO COMMUNITY WORK 115 REMOVING IGNORANCE 116 FARM COOPERATIVE 116 MOTIVATION 118 KRISTIN KALLESEN 121 4 Table of Content BACKDROP: EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY HISTORY 121 JUST ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION GATHERING ACTIVISTS AND PROFESSIONALS 122 BEING JEA CHAIRPERSON 124 THE GREEN NEIGHBOURHOOD PROJECT 124 ACCOMPLISHMENTS 125 ADVERSITIES 126 POLITICAL VIEWS: POLITICAL AVERSION AND NEUTRALITY AMIDST SO MUCH POLITICAL SUPPORT? 127 RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY 127 ACTIVIST ENVIRONMENTALIST? JEA’S STANCE 128 LINKING TO DIEPSLOOT 129 OLIVIER LÉVÊQUE 131 BACKGROUND 131 WHAT DRIVES OLIVIER 131 FOUNDING JUCA AS THE CYCLISTS VOICE 132 STRATEGISING IN THE EARLY STAGES 133 A MAP OF CYCLING ROUTES 134 MAKING JOHANNESBURG BIKE-FRIENDLY 135 PARTNERING WITH THE CITY – PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL INITIATIVES 136 ISSUE OF REPRESENTATIVENESS AND FURTHER MOBILISATION STRATEGIES 137 REFLECTION ON FUTURE IDENTITY OF JUCA 139 CONTEXT 4: JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – KAPOK, LENASIA, NOORDGESIG 141 CLAIRE BÉNIT-GBAFFOU, EDWARD MOLOPI, LOYISO TUNCE 141 LOOKING FOR KAPOK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF EXECUTIVE 141 SANCO, ‘LITTLE BROTHER’ OF THE ANC 142 THE ISN, SEEN FROM THE LOCAL 143 SHAHIDA KAZIE IN LENASIA 144 BASIL DOUGLAS AND JOHANNESBURG SOUTH 145 EXECUTIVE MUKWEVHO 147 INTERVIEWERS: EDWARD MOLOPI AND LESEGO TSHUWA 147 5 Table of Content LIFE AND UPBRINGING 147 KAPOK: THE BACKGROUND 148 THE STORY OF LAWLEY AND EVENTS LEADING TO KAPOK 149 MY WORK: STRATEGIES AND CO-OPERATION 151 EDUCATION THROUGH THE TRADE UNIONS 151 BEFORE LAWLEY – COMMUNITY WORK 155 EDUCATING PEOPLE 156 ISN PROJECTS 157 KAPOK STRUGGLES - TOILETS AND HUMAN DIGNITY 158 THE RIGHT WATER PIPES 159 RELOCATION 159 THE FAILED ILLEGAL ELECTRICITY CONNECTION 160 THREATENING A VOTE BOYCOTT 160 INVOLVEMENT WITH APF AND PROTESTS IN KAPOK 161 ANC MISSIONS 162 DISAPPOINTMENTS 163 WHAT KEEPS HIM MOTIVATED 163 SHAHIDA KAZIE 165 INTERVIEWERS: EDWARD MOLOPI AND THEMBANI MKHIZE 165 BACKGROUND 165 ENGAGING IN COMMUNITY WORK 166 PUBLIC SPACE- THE UPGRADING OF ROSE PARK 167 BROKERING BETWEEN TAXI ASSOCIATIONS AND THE MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT 168 PROMOTING RACIAL, RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION IN CIVIL SOCIETY 169 REFLECTIONS ON THE WARD COUNCILLORSHIP EXPERIENCE 171 WORKING AT SANCA ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN COMMUNITIES 172 MY FUTURE IN COMMUNITY ACTIVISM 173 BASIL DOUGLAS 175 INTERVIEWERS: LENTSOE PAGIWA AND LOYISO TUNCE 175 BACKGROUND 175 GROWING UP: FAMILY, VIOLENCE AND FEAR 176 6 Table of Content POLITICAL MENTORSHIP 176 A COUNCILLOR WITH A STREET BACKGROUND 178 DRIVING CHANGE –COUNCILLORS NEED PRESSURE FROM ACTIVISTS 180 STREET BATTLES 180 INDIGENT POLICY IN JOHANNESBURG 182 FROM NOORDGESIG CIVIC TO SOWEJOCA AND POLITICS 183 POLICE REPRESSION AND THE END OF SOWEJOCA? 184 ACTIVISM AND POLITICS 185 CODES OF CONDUCT 186 REMAINING INVOLVED IN NOORDGESIG 186 CONTEXT 5: TAMBOVILLE & MAKAUSE, IN EKURHULENI 189 CLAIRE BÉNIT-GBAFFOU, SEYCO MANYAKA 189 ABIE IN TAMBOVILLE 190 GENERAL IN MAKAUSE 191 ABRAHAM ABIE NYALUNGA 193 INTERVIEWERS: TSHANDA MBUYI AND SEYCO MANYAKA 193 BACKGROUND 193 JOINING THE STRUGGLE THROUGH TRADE UNIONS AND CIVICS 195 NATIONAL AND LOCAL BATTLES 197 THE CONSTRUCTION OF TAMBOVILLE 200 UNDERSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND WHAT AN ACTIVIST IS 202 THE COMMUNITY BANK PROJECT 202 THE TEMPTATION OF XENOPHOBIA 204 SHIFTING TO A COOPERATIVE APPROACH TO THE CITY 205 GENERAL ALFRED MOYO 207 INTERVIEWERS: SEYCO MANYAKA AND NTANDOKAWABO JAMES 207 BECOMING POLITICALLY ACTIVE 207 2007 EVICTIONS FROM MAKAUSE 208 7 Table of Content INVESTIGATING THE REASONS BEHIND EVICTIONS 211 BECOMING A COMMUNITY LEADER 211 DLF PROVINCIAL ORGANISER 212 ANC FOSTERING COMMUNITY DIVISIONS 213 POLICE HARASSMENT OF ACTIVISTS 213 SUCCESSES AND ONGOING BATTLES 215 REFERENCES 219 8 Table of Content TABLE OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 - COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS IN THEIR URBAN CONTEXTS 25 FIGURE 2 - ELLEN CHAUKE, © MKHIZE 2013. 31 FIGURE 3 - SILVER TOWN TRANSIT CAMP, WITH ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP IN THE BACKGROUND, © MKHIZE 2013. 34 FIGURE 4 - THABO MOPHASI IN ALEX SANKOPANO RESOURCE CENTER, © NGOBESE 2013. 41 FIGURE 5 – THABO IN FRONT OF ITHUTE SCHOOL, ALEXANDRA, © NGOBESE 2013. 43 FIGURE 6 - PATIENCE NOGCANTSI IN HER GREENSTONE HOME, © SACK 2013. 59 FIGURE 7 - MINIDA MANSIONS, ONE OF PATIENCE’S PROPERTIES IN YEOVILLE, REHABILITATED THROUGH TUHF, © YEOVILLE STUDIO 2011. 63 FIGURE 8 - SHEREZA SIBANDA IN HER ICRC OFFICE, © SACK 2013. 71 FIGURE 9 – SAN JOSE BUILDING, BEREA, © SACK 2013. 76 FIGURE 10 – PAPI SATHEKGE IN DIEPSLOOT PUBLIC SPACE, ©PAGIWA 2013. 93 FIGURE 11 – URBAN FURNITURE INSTALLED BY JDA IN DIEPSLOOT STREETS, BUILDING ON DACN COMMUNITY ART ACTIVITIES, © PAGIWA 2013. 104 FIGURE 12 - SAM SIKHOSANA IN HIS DIEPSLOOT OFFICE, © MOLOPI 2013. 109 FIGURE 13 - SAM SIKHOSANA AND TWO FARMERS IN THE DIEPSLOOT FARM COOPERATIVE, © MOLOPI 2013. 117 FIGURE 14 - KRISTIN KALLESEN, © KARA 2013. 121 FIGURE 15 - GREATER KYALAMI CONSERVANCY BOUNDARIES. 125 FIGURE 16 – JEA IN DIEPSLOOT FOR MANDELA DAY, © JEA 2012. 129 FIGURE 17 - OLIVIER LÉVÊQUE, © KARA 2013. 131 FIGURE 18 - JUCA’S MAP OF CYCLING ROUTES IN JOHANNESBURG, 2013. 134 9 Table of Content FIGURE 19 - JUCA ORGANISES A BIKE-POLO MATCH IN VILAKAZI STREET, SOWETO, FOR THE ‘OPEN STREET’ DAY, ©JUCA, 2011. 136 FIGURE 20 – EXECUTIVE MUKHEVO IN KAPOK, © MOLOPI 2013. 147 FIGURE 21 – EXECUTIVE’S HOME AND YARD IN KAPOK, © MOLOPI 2013. 149 FIGURE 22 – SHAHIDA KAZIE, © MOLOPI 2013. 165 FIGURE 23 - REHABILITATED ROSE PARK, LENASIA, © MOLOPI 2013. 168 FIGURE 24 - BASIL DOUGLAS IN HIS OFFICE AT THE CITY OF JOHANNESBURG, © PAGIWA 2013.