The Social Movements Indaba (SMI) was gearing up on Wednesday for a mass rally against the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) at the Alexandra Stadium.
The organisation, which includes the Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) and other movements opposed to the WSSD and privatisation, plans to march on Sandton and the WSSD on Saturday. Although permission for the march has been denied, the group has vowed to
continue with its plans. The group has not been given permission for the march.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, advertising the mass rally set for 10am, the SMI said the entire WSSD process was fast losing its veneer of legitimacy, as they had predicted.
“Many of those who have put their faith in the WSSD are now beginning to wake up to that reality. The threatened walkout of thousands of NGO delegates from the WSSD (at the) Sandton Convention Centre over inaccessibility, and thus their inability to have any substantive impact on proceedings, confirms that they have been played for fools,” the group said.
“The crisis of the WSSD has only been compounded by the actions and words of the South African government over the last week. The group said the government had resorted to spreading lies about those opposed to WSSD activities. It would continue to exercise its right to freedom of expression and assembly.
In a pamphlet handed out to Alexandra residents on Monday, the SMI described itself as a “network of social movements and allies committed to organising communities to wield power directly”.
“We believe the time of patiently asking the government to our desperate pleas is over. They won’t listen till we make them listen.”
SMI and APF representative Dale McKinley said on Tuesday NIA director general Vusi Mavimbela’s visit was aimed to silence dissenting voices that may embarrass government during the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
McKinley said Mavimbela and three other NIA officials arrived at the APF offices in Braamfontein and questioned APF secretary, Trevor Ngwane.
The APF’s legal team were meeting on Wednesday to decide whether to seek a judicial order overturning the ban.
McKinley said the forum had been central in organising protest action against the WSSD through the SMI.
He said it was a sign that the government was clamping down on dissenting voices. – Sapa
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