Social and economic divisions were observed within informal settlements where AbM is present. Interviewees were often vague about the subject, but different ethnic, racial, and language backgrounds were sources of friction as observed at meetings and during discussions about ‘community’ life. Within some informal settlements,
subdivisions based on race were causes of disputes among residents. Indian
descendants and black shack dwellers in Motala Heights, for instance, seemed to have only got to know each other after they joined AbM.171
This was particular evident among new members’ narratives about tensions between residents from different backgrounds. These new members used specific, and at times derogatory, language while referring to other residents– e.g. “that Mpondo172 is causing a lot of trouble” (Community meeting at Annet Drive informal settlement, 2010). While, this kind of language and way of referring to other people was often reprehended within meetings, by more experienced members, AbM seems to have often struggled with these divisions.
AbM has, since its formation, attempted to bring together shack-‐dwellers of all ethnicities and different informal settlements and ethnicities. The leadership of AbM, for instance, included shack dwellers from Zulu, Xhosa, and Indian ethnicities.
171 Although residents of difference racial background have lived in the same area for decades, there is little indication of social relations among them before AbM.
172 Mpondo or AmaMpondo is a term generally, and incorrectly, used by isiZulu speakers to refer to isiXhosa speakers. It is often used in a derogatory way. Mpondo is the name of a group of isiXhosa-‐
speaking people originally from the Eastern province.
However, this was not an easy task. A number of interviewees described that many individuals involved in the creation of AbM expressed suspicion towards shack dwellers from informal settlements or ethnicities other than their own. As one supporter described:
“[T]he most difficult thing in the beginning was to make sure that all the
communities felt that they shared the movement equally. There was this constant fear that, the movement is really about Kennedy, or is really about Foreman [road informal settlement]. Like these communities were using the movement to get things for themselves” (AbM supporter 1, 2010).
One member illustrated this suspicion through an anecdote about how the name Abahlali was chosen. According to this member, after the first road blockade in Kennedy, people from other informal settlements, expressed the wish to “join the action”. This evolved into a few other marches, “hosted” by different settlements.
However, some people who were not from these settlements felt that they were not being represented (AbM member 12, 2010).
These marches often printed t-‐shirts with the name of the hosting community (e.g.
Foreman Road march). According to this member, people started to question: “Why should I support and use a t-‐shirt saying Kennedy Road, if I'm not from there? People could feel deceived.” According to him, this is how the name Abahlali emerged, as he illustrated:
“There was a particular meeting where there was a lot of discussion about what to write in the t-‐shirt for the next march. At some point, [AbM member 7] said: ‘But we are all abahlali; we are all living in the shacks’. This is where the [AbM]
movement was born, after the debate on what to write on the t-‐shirt” (AbM member 12, 2010).
For some members, issues such as the one described above, raised the importance of inclusion, to create a sense of “togetherness”. These members claimed that it was important to AbM to integrate different communities; in a way that people felt that this was also “[their] struggle”. Interviewees described these aspects as important to develop trust and camaraderie. One supporter described this approach as he
experienced:
“So, it is not just a vertical relation born in trust, probably more – actually – horizontal relation. And that takes a lot of being together, a lot of staying up all night in camps, singing, talking ...” (AbM supporter 1, 2010).
According to many interviewees, as well as observations gathered at meetings and discussions, the leadership of AbM has attempted to promote inclusiveness inside the organisation. This inclusiveness and togetherness is mostly observed from data on face-‐to-‐face interactions (see section 6.2.1.5), and creation of bonds (section 6.4.1).
Gender
AbM does not keep reliable statistics on the gender split of membership. However, from my own observation of meetings and events, AbM members seem to be largely women. This trend is also reflected in the elected leadership and community
committees’ representative of AbM.
Women were often the majority in AbM meetings. Through participant observation, there was no clear indication of gender differences regarding, for instance,
participation, abilities and motivation to speak in meetings, questioning proposals and decisions, arguments, and leading activities.
Breaking the data down by gender and looking at the female perspective, women described similar views to men associated with social bonds and solidarity (see section 6.4.1), and were equally engaged in political activity. For instance, some female members spoke about how they feel included in AbM’s activities, and they were encouraged to speak in meetings or lead actions in the organisation.
Other female members perceived no gender difference. For them, AbM belongs to them, equally, as it belongs to men.
“The way I look at it, women actually stand a very big power in Abahlali, because I’ve seen a lot of woman stand up and work in Abahlali and I think is actually making them more powerful, more strong” (AbM member 1, 2010).
Male AbM members often described that women – and youth – have the same power as men, and the movement would not have achieved its current position, if it were not for the engagement of women and some youth.173 A male member, for instance, described that: “because we do believe in gender equality. Women have the same rights, there is no men power” (AbM member 19, 2010).174