War on Want demands justice for the Kennedy 12
On 14 May, 12 people, known as the Kennedy 12, made their 11th appearance in court in the eight months since their arrest in September 2009 following the Kennedy Road attacks. These attacks, which left two dead and hundreds displaced, were at the site of the headquarters of Abahlali baseMjondolo KwaZulu-Natal, a War on Want partner organisation.
On 14 May, 12 people, known as the Kennedy 12, made their 11th appearance in court in the eight months since their arrest in September 2009 following the Kennedy Road attacks. These attacks, which left two dead and hundreds displaced, were at the site of the headquarters of Abahlali baseMjondolo KwaZulu-Natal, a War on Want partner organisation.
The charges against the Kennedy 12 are public violence, assault and murder. However, no evidence has been produced, and these individuals were in fact victims of the attack. Five of them have not even had a bail hearing and have been detained for the last eight months without trial or evidence.
War on Want joined the London Coalition against Poverty (LCAP) in handing over a letter to the South African High Commission which calls for the charges to be dropped and for the five still in custody to be released. The letter also demands an independent inquiry into the incident as to who the real perpetrators are. We are awaiting a response from the High Commission.
For more information please go to http://abahlali.org/
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