Fuentes y medios de prueba

Aspects  discussed  above  (e.g.  self-­‐organisation;  collaborating  with  external  supporters)   suggest  that  they  influence  how  AbM  members  acquire  and  develop  skills,  capabilities   and  experiences.  The  majority  of  members  gave  similar  accounts  of  learning  and   sharing  knowledge,  yet  –  as  it  will  be  reviewed  next  under  Sense  of  Agency  –  they   differed  on  autonomy.  Some  members  gave  accounts  of  developing  leadership  skills   and  being  able  to  deal  –  autonomously  –  with  government  officials  and  services.  Other   members  referred  to  the  support  from  AbM’s  leadership  as  an  important  asset  –  and   demonstrated  a  certain  level  of  dependency  towards  other  members.  

Some  members  described  that  face-­‐to-­‐face  meetings  provided  an  opportunity  to   express  views  and  give  their  input.  Observations  indicate  that  these  members  also   spoke  more  often  and  confidently  during  meetings.²²²  

A  similar  development  was  not  observed  among  other  members.  Even  after   motivational  words  and  opportunities  were  presented  for  “everyone  to  speak”  it  

222  One  member,  for  instance,  described  that  she  used  to  be  an  introvert  person,  but  she  learned  how  to   be  extrovert:  “Before,  if  I  didn’t  like  something,  I  would  keep  quiet.  I  learned  to  speak  out  [in  meetings]  

and  speak  my  mind,  don’t  matter  how  the  other  person  would  feel,  as  long  as  he  or  she  knows  my  side,   how  am  I  feeling”  (AbM  member  15,  2010).  

seems  that  some  members  “prefer  to  listen”.  Despite  the  opportunity  and  

encouragement  to  speak  in  AbM  meetings,  some  members  have  remained  silent.  

Other  members  described  developing  skills  and  capabilities  such  as  the  ability  to  speak   in  public  and  addressing  different  audiences.  These  members  described  that  

interactions  with  lawyers,  policy  makers,  and  others,  was  very  important  for  them  to   learn  how  to  speak  and  deal  with  experts,  or  government  officials:  

“If  a  municipality  officials  come  to  the  communities  and  whenever  you  ask  them   about  the  houses,  they  always  says  yes,  this  is  part  of  the  program;  that's  why  we   came  to  do  1,  2,  3  because  the  housing  is  around  the  corner.  And  when  they  talk   about  ‘around  the  corner’  you  think  about  next  week,  or  next  month.  But  now,  with   my  understanding,  when  they  come,  I  concentrate  on  what  type  of  program  they   are  talking  about.  And  I  try  to  lead  them  to  the  community  will  on  what,  where  and   when,  in  communities  will.  Not  to  listen  to  them  on  what,  where  and  when.  

Because  they  won’t  tell  you  the  truth”  (AbM  member  7,  2010)  

 “You  learn  how  to  chair  a  meeting,  you  learn  how  to  talk  –  but  you  need  to  be   there  the  meeting  language  is  very  different  from  street  language.  There  is  a  sort  of   aggressiveness  in  the  street  language  –  often  used  for  marches.  This  way  of  

speaking,  cannot  be  used  in  a  meeting,  for  example,  with  the  municipality.  If  you   are  negotiating,  you  are  partnering  with  one  another.  Even  though  you  don’t  fear   them,  you  can’t  shout:  ‘down  with  …’”  (AbM  member  20,  2010).  

These  members  often  spoke  of  the  importance  of  using  the  right  words  in  meetings   and  gatherings.  What  some  of  these  members  described  as:  “I  learned  how  to  be  a   leader”,  frequently  means  developing  self-­‐confidence  as  well  as  realising  the  type  of   speech  necessary  to  motivate  other  members;  language  that  is  also  used  to  mobilize   shack  dwellers  to  join  AbM.    

However,  mobilization  depends  on  organisation,  a  function  that  few  members  

undertook.  Although,  some  members  organise  at  the  local  level,  during  AbM  executive   meetings  for  instance  (organisational  level),  they  depended  on  a  small  group  of  

members  to  lead  and  organise.²²³    

223  This  will  be  further  discussed  in  section  6.4.3.    

Organisational  skills  are  important  for  AbM.  The  organisation  of  marches  –  including   logistics,  obtaining  permissions,  liaising  with  the  media,  producing  information  

material,  briefings  on  conduct  and  legal  rights  –  is  a  good  example  of  that.²²⁴    Knowing   where  and  how  to  find  and  access  official  government  documents,  as  well  as  the  ability   to  understand  government  jargon  on  official  documents,  are  important  skills,  but  not   necessarily  acquired  by  every  AbM  member.  These  skills  were  observed  only  among   few  AbM  members.²²⁵  These  members  tend  to  hold  leadership  positions,  and   demonstrated  a  greater  sense  of  responsibility  towards  AbM  and  its  members.    

Generally,  these  members  explained  that  they  had  to  learn  about  a  number  of  issues   related  to  their  “struggle”.  One  member  explained  that  “[leaders]  need  to  have  a  great   level  of  understanding  to  be  in  the  struggle”.  Accordingly:  “A  leader  has  to  read  and   write.  Sometimes  a  leader  receives  documents  that  if  they  are  uneducated  they  won’t   be  able  to  understand  it”  (AbM  member  15,  2010).²²⁶  

 Next,  sections  6.3.2  and  6.3.3,  look  respectively  at  which  internet  and  mobile  phone   skills  and  capabilities  were  developed.  Both  sections  start  by  including  a  description  of   how  individuals  developed  –  or  not  –these  skills  and  capabilities,  and  thus  bring   together  and  revisits  some  of  the  information  which  has  been  looked  at  before.    

224  A  particular  example  of  this  was  observed  at  a  meeting  to  organise  the  ‘March  to  Zuma’  event  (AbM   executive  meeting  at  AbM's  office,  2010).  Another  example  was  an  application  to  obtain  a  particular   government  document  which  contained  the  list  of  informal  settlements  selected  for  upgrading,  and  the   ones  selected  for  demolition.    When  the  document  was  made  available  to  AbM,  AbM  members,   together  with  academics  and  supporting  NGOs,  digested  the  information,  and  passed  the  information   on  to  affected  informal  settlements.    

225  There  was  no  indication  that  all  members  knew  how  to  access  or  understand  such  kind  of  documents.  

The  majority  of  members  depended  on  few  other  members  to  find  and  share  relevant  information  in  a   format  that  is  accessible  to  them.  Particularly  since  the  language  (or  jargon)  used  in  government   documents;  laws;  amendments;  and  other  documents  containing  relevant  information  on  shack   dwellers  rights,  are  –  when  accessible  –  incomprehensible  for  most  shack  dwellers.  

226  Indeed,  writing  became  a  powerful  skill  developed  by  very  few  AbM  members.  This  is  not  referring  to   general  literacy,  but  the  writing  of  pieces,  including  discussions  on  society,  politics,  law,  rights,  poverty,   and  many  other  subjects,  publish  by  these  members  on  the  website,  newspaper,  university  colloquium,   etc.  This  skill  will  be  further  discussed  in  this  Chapter,  section  6.6.