On November 17, a photo exhibition titled ‘Socialism or Death: Abahlali baseMjondolo on the Frontlines of Struggle’ opened at The Forge in Johannesburg. The work displayed chronicles the years-long struggle of South Africa’s shack dwellers movement to secure land and housing for the urban poor

AbM leader George Mqapheli Bonono called on the UN to take a stand against the murders of the movement’s leaders, and for the South African government to set up a commission of inquiry to ensure justice for all victims of political killings

28-year-old Lindokuhle Mnguni, the chairperson of the eKhenana commune of South African shack dwellers’ movement, Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM), was gunned down at his home in Durban on August 20.

Chairperson of the eKhenana commune of Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM), who was out of prison on bail, was gunned down at his home two days before he was to appear in court. This is the third murder of AbM leaders in eKhenana commune in Cato Crest this year.

Samson Ngubane, allegedly a local leader of the ruling ANC, is under arrest for the assassination of Nokuthula Mabaso, a leader of Abahlali baseMjondolo’s eKhenana occupation in Durban

On May 5, Nokuthula Mabaso, a militant land rights activist of Abahlali baseMjondolo in South Africa was assassinated.

Nokuthula Mabaso – a 40 year old mother of four leading AbM’s eKhenana commune – was gunned down the evening before she was supposed to appear in court to oppose the bail of the local ANC chief’s son, who is accused of murdering another eKhenana leader in March

As political killings continue in the city, claiming the lives of activists exposing ANC rot and failures, serious questions need to be asked of our democratic commitments.