Killing of woman human rights defender Nokuthula Mabaso
On 5 May 2022, woman human rights defender Nokuthula Mabaso was shot and killed outside of her home in eKhenana. Nokuthula Mabaso was a member of the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement. On May 6 2022, Nokuthula Mabaso was set to testify in court in a case against the alleged perpetrator of consistent attacks against the eKhenana Commune. The police has opened an investigation into the shooting, but no suspects have been arrested.
Nokuthula Mabaso was a woman human rights defender and leader in the eKhenana Commune and the Women’s League of Abahlali baseMjondolo. Abahlali baseMjondolo is a grassroots movement of poor shack dwellers in Durban, Pinetown, Pietermaritzburg and other parts of the province, as well as the Western Cape. The movement advocates for the rights of people living in shacks, including campaigning for access to decent housing, services and education.
On 5 May 2022, woman human rights defender Nokuthula Mabaso was shot and killed outside of her home in eKhenana. Nokuthula Mabaso was a member of the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement. On May 6 2022, Nokuthula Mabaso was set to testify in court in a case against the alleged perpetrator of consistent attacks against the eKhenana Commune. The police has opened an investigation into the shooting, but no suspects have been arrested.
Nokuthula Mabaso was a woman human rights defender and leader in the eKhenana Commune and the Women’s League of Abahlali baseMjondolo. Abahlali baseMjondolo is a grassroots movement of poor shack dwellers in Durban, Pinetown, Pietermaritzburg and other parts of the province, as well as the Western Cape. The movement advocates for the rights of people living in shacks, including campaigning for access to decent housing, services and education.
On 6 March 2021, Sniko Miya a human rights defender and member of Abahlali baseMjondolo was attacked in the street by an assailant with an axe. While the defender was injured during the attack, bystanders stepped in preventing the attack from turning deadly. Despite the threats leading up to the attack being recorded on video and the several witnesses including Nokuthula Mabaso, the police did not arrested the suspect until 22 March 2022. This same individual was identified as one of the shooters in the killing of Ayanda Ngila, another human rights defender and member of Abahlali baseMjondolo.
On 6 May 2022, Nokuthula Mabaso was set to testify in court for the case of the attack against Sniko Miya. She had prepared an affidavit and intended to testify to request that the suspect’s bail request be denied. This individual has been tied to at least two attacks against Abahlali baseMjondolo and its members. This suspect is the son of an influential local leader of the political party ANC who is also a pastor and businessman. In addition to this, the investigating officer on this case has a history of arresting members of the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement on trumped up charges and recommending that they be denied bail. The same officer claims that he cannot find any evidence in the case of the attack against Sniko Miya, but has refused to review the video evidence or speak to the witnesses. Since the killing of Nokuthula Mabaso the charges against the suspect for the attack against Sniko Miya were dropped. He is still in detention and being prosecuted for the killing of Ayanda Ngila.
Front Line Defenders condemns the killing of Nokuthula Mabaso and remains deeply concerned by the relentless targeting of Abahlali baseMjondolo and its members as it believes these acts are intended to have an intimidating effect on the human rights defenders and their community.
