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The South African Unemployed Peoples' Movement (SAUPM) is a social movement with branches in Durban, Grahamstown and Limpopo Province[1] in South Africa. It is often referred to as the Unemployed People's Movement or UPM. It is strongly critical of the ruling African National Congress.[2]
On Wednesday 15 July 2009 the movement announced that it would begin appropriating food from supermarkets in Durban if the state did not agree to consult with it on its demand for a basic income grant of R1 500 per month for all unemployed people.[3]
On Wednesday 22 July the movement occupied the Checkers supermarket in Dr Pixley KaSeme Street and the Pick'n'Pay supermarket at The Workshop and began to eat food off the shelves without paying. Police said they arrested 44 people at Checkers and 50 people at Pick'n'Pay. Nozipho Mteshana, then the chairwoman of the movement, said that the appropriation of food in supermarkets would continue despite the arrests.[4][5][6] She was placed under house arrest for 18 months following the protest.[7]
The movement has, working together with
The movement has suffered arrests in both Grahamstown[25][26][27] and Durban.[28]
According to Mazibuko K. Jara "it has become the most powerful force in the Makana municipality. Its formation represented a collective recognition of the appetite for self-emancipation, and without self-organisation, the unemployed in Grahamstown might as well have remained on the margins of that divided small town. In its short two years of existence, the movement has marched, written deputations, submitted memorandums of demands, held sit-ins, held meetings with the state, used the law and more. It has challenged unemployment, poor-quality housing, lack of housing, lack of water and sanitation, lack of electricity and street lighting, violence against women and problems with the social security system. The movement has humanised politics by concerning themselves with how to rebuild the social fabric of a poor community."[24]
The movement claims that the Municipality has often frustrated its right to protest.[23]
Its current chairperson is Ayanda Kota[19] and the Grahamstown branch works closely with radical students.[20] It has close relationships with other social movements in South Africa, has expressed an intention to affiliate to the Poor People's Alliance, is affiliated to the Democratic Left Front and has supported the global 'Occupy' movement[21] and the struggle against state censorship in South Africa.[22]
There is also a branch of the Unemployed People's Movement in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape.[9][10][11][12] It argues for a bottom up system of democracy.[13] Along with the struggle for employment, housing and electricity[14] women's issues, including the demand for toilets [15] and campaigns against rape,[16][17] have emerged as key issues in Grahamstown. The movement has had some success in campaigning against corruption in Grahamstown.[18]
[8]
Australia, Canada, India, 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa
Rhodes University, South Africa, Eastern Cape, Makana Local Municipality, English language
India, Canada, United Kingdom, Africa, Australia
South Africa, Nelson Mandela, Politics of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, South African general election, 2004
Nelson Mandela, Discrimination, Ciskei, African National Congress, Slavery
Politics of South Africa, Liberalism in South Africa, Pan-Africanism, Apartheid, Social movements
South Africa, Parliament of South Africa, African National Congress, Constitution of South Africa, Courts of South Africa
Miami, Politics of South Africa, Liberalism in South Africa, Pan-Africanism, Apartheid
South Africa, Politics of South Africa, Gauteng, Politics, Abahlali baseMjondolo
Socialism, South Africa, Occupy movement, Trotskyism, Apartheid