South Africa: Municipal protests: A call for support

Over the past 2 months, as communities all over the Gauteng again take to streets in protest against the pace and neoliberal frame of service delivery, there has been an unprecedented escalation of state violence, repression and the criminalisation of protest. While the APF has managed to provide activists with legal and jail support, this has been severely circumscribed by the limited financial means of the organisation. As these protests spread, the brutality and arrests that have characterised the state's response thus far are likely to intensify as well. With at least 14 people arrested yesterday alone (see APF press statement below), and dozens more injured, the mounting costs of legal representation (both for defence of those arrested and for the preparation of civil action against the police) is a disabling weight on the APF and it's affiliates from poor communities across the province.
Believing that voices of these communities should not be muted with state violence and repression, the APF calls on all those who are able to, and are interested in supporting the defence of communities in struggle, to make contributions the APF legal war chest.

Money can be directly deposited in the APF account (be sure to stipulate that the money is for legal defence when making deposits) and will only be used for the purpose for which it was given.

The APF's account details are as follows:

Account Name: Anti-Privatisation Forum
Bank: First National Bank
Branch: Bank City
Bank Address: Block A, #3 First Place,
Bank City, FNB,
Johannesburg, 2000
Branch Code: 250805
Account Number: 62027851452
Type of Account: Cheque
Swift Code: FIRN ZAJJA046
Telephone: (27 11) 352 1338/492 3321/492 3345
Contact Person: Vanitha Maharaj/Mabel
Foreign Transfer Desk: 352 8290 (tel), 352 8219 (
Fax) - Attn: Paulina e-bus: 083 123 3000 Bank and ABA # for US wire transfers - J.P. Morgan-Chase Manhattan (021000021)

Thank you for your support