Durban — Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) hope that President Cyril Ramaphosa acts now that the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has written a letter to his office over the assassination of its leaders.

That was according to AbM general secretary Thapelo Mohapi, who was reacting to the SAHRC sending the letter. In a statement on Saturday, the SAHRC said that it had written to the office of president to seek the intervention of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster on the plight of the members of AbM. It said it had received various complaints pertaining to the plight of AbM.

It said that it had been reported that 24 members or supporters of the AbM had been killed over the past 14 years. Only two convictions had been secured by the authorities in connection with the killings, and many of these assassinations took place in informal settlements where the movement operated.

“Having assessed the complaints and various recommendations made by civil organisations on behalf of AbM, the commission is of the view that a high-level strategic intervention is necessary to alleviate the plight of AbM,” the SAHRC said.

“It is against this backdrop that the commission has written to the president to seek the intervention of the Crime Prevention and Security Cluster to, among others, investigate the assassinations of the members of AbM, failure by the police to apprehend the assassins, delay in prosecuting matters that are currently before the criminal courts, and the alleged role of politicians.”

The SAHRC said that it woul continue to monitor the matter and the plight of members of AbM.

Speaking to the Daily News on Thursday, Mohapi said that they had sent a complaint to the SAHRC a while back and protested outside the SAHRC offices about the murders. He said the letter to the president was a result of that pressure.

“We welcome the letter written by the SAHRC. We welcome that it finally took steps,” Mohapi said. “But we are still concerned it took such a long time.”

Mohapi said that they even reported the murders to the UN, Sweden and Norway. He said that South Africa was asked about atrocities, especially the assassinations.

“Too many of us have been killed,” Mohapi said.

He said that last year four AbM leaders were killed. Three were assassinated in Mayville - Lindokuhle Mnguni, Ayanda Ngila and Nokuthula Mabaso - while the fourth, Siyabonga Manqele, was killed in a police raid.

“We hope President Cyril Ramaphosa will not ignore this and take action,” Mohapi said. He added that they had not received justice for the majority of their assassinated members, only one, Thuli Ndlovu.

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