PHEZU kokuba sekuphele cishe iminyaka engu-27 lelizwe lakhululeka kodwa inhlangano yabahlali basemijondolo, Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement of SA ithi ayikatholakali inkululeko yeqiniso.
Lokhu kuvele esitatimendeni esikhishwe yile nhlangano njengoba bekubungazwa usuku lwenkululeko ezindaweni ezahlukene obelungoLwesibili. Ngaphandle kokubungaza usuku lokutholakala kwentando yeningi, ngo-1994, lenhlangano ibuye yabhiyozela ukuhlonishwa kwawo ngomklomelo wekhethelo yizwe laseSweden, iPer Anger Prize otholwe umengameli wayo uMnuz S’bu Zikode. Lenhlangano umbungazo wayo ibiwubambele ehholo lomphakathi eThulie Ndlovu, eKhanani, maphakathi neTheku, nakwezinye izindawo okubalwa nomcimbi wokugcina obusifundazweni eMpumalanga. Okunye lenhlangano ebikubungaza bekuwukuhlanganisa iminyaka engu-15 yabakhona, iyibungaza ngaphansi kwesimo sokulilela isethembiso senkululeko ethi salahleka ngomhlaka Ephreli 27, 1994. “Kusukela kwatholakala inkululeko kodwa abantu abahlala emijondolo abanakiwe, bacekelwa phansi futhi bacindezelwa yilabo abaphethe. Uma uhlala emijondolo uthathwa njengomuntu ongakwazi ukuzicabangela. Siphinde sithathwe njengezigebengu okufanele zilawulwe ngodlame lwansuku zonke, futhi sinyundelwe, sihlukunyezwe futhi sibulawe nalapho sihlubuka. Asihambisani nalesi simo, sifuna ukuthisiphathwe ngesithunzi, isithunzi esinikwa wonke umuntu,”kusho Abahlali baseMjondolo.
Iqhube yathi, “Le mpi yokulwela isithunzi nokuhlonishwa kwethu njengabantu isenze izitha zombuso. Abaholi bethu abaningi namalungu babhekane nokuhlaselwa okuvela ezinhlakeni zombuso ngohlobo lwamaphoyisa nophiko Lokulwa Nokuhlaselwa Komhlaba. Iningi labaholi bethu libulewe yizinkabi” Ithe ezweni lonke abahlali basemjondolo bayaqhubeka nokuncishwa usizo oluyisisekelo. Ithe ngenxa yalokhu izingane ziyaqhubeka nokufa ngenxa yohudo kanti nabo bengabahlali basemjondolo bayaqhubeka nokufa emlilweni womjondolo. “Siphenduke ibhange labavoti kosopolitiki abahahayo abadune umzabalazo wabantu wokuzicebisa bona nemindeni yabo. Sigcinwa nje siphila ngezibonelelo, kepha akulindelekile ukuthi sifune okungaphezulu kokugcinwa nje siphila. Sifuna izimpilo ezamukelekile zawo wonke umuntu. Sifuna ikusasa lezingane zethu lapho zingafinyelela khona ngokugcwele. Sifuna umhlaba uvulekele wonke umuntu. Umhlaba, ingcebo namandla kufanele kwabelwane ngakho ngokulingana,” isho kanje. “Akekho ongaphika ukuthi asikhululekile. Sizoqhubeka nokuhlela futhi sakhe ukunyakaza kwethu, futhi sisebenzisane nazo zonke izinhlangano ezinenqubekela phambili, ukwakha umphakathi wentando yeningi wobuntu lapho isithunzi sonke sihlonishwa khona”.
Umgubho woSuku lweNkululeko yeminyaka engu-27 yatholakala uNdunankulu wesifundazwe uMnuz Sihle Zikalala nethimba lakhe longqongqoshe bawugubhe eNanda enyakatho yeTheku ngoLwesibili. Kulapho uMengameli wokuqala wentando yeNingi uDkt. Nelson Mandela avota khona okokuqala oHlange High School, futhi kulapho uMengameli wokuqala we-ANC, uDkt. Langalibalele Dube, azalelwa khona. Lombungazo ubuhlanganiswe nokukhumbula iminyaka engu-150 kwazalwa uMafukuzela onjengezulu kanye noMama uCharlotte Maxeke. Abaholi be-Democratic Alliance (DA), esifundazweni, uFrancois Rodgers, uSihlalo uDean Macpherson kanye nephini likaSihlalo uKhansela Sithembiso Ngema loluSuku balubungaze ngokuthi bahlanganyele namalungu nomphakathi waku-ward 110.
