The Assembly of the Unemployed strongly condemns, in the clearest and most uncompromising terms, the brutal assassination of Abahlali baseMjondolo leader Zweli ‘Khabazela’ Mkhize. This cowardly act of violence is not only an attack on one individual; it is an attack on the entire movement of the poor, on grassroots democracy, and on the fundamental right of marginalised communities to organise, speak out, and struggle for dignity.
Zweli Mkhize was not simply a leader in name; he was a committed activist who dedicated his life to advancing the rights of shack dwellers and the unemployed. He stood on the frontlines of struggles for land, housing, and basic services, giving voice to communities that are too often silenced, ignored, or criminalised. His assassination represents a devastating loss to the broader movement for social justice in South Africa.
This tragedy cannot be separated from the wider climate of intimidation and violence faced by community activists across the country. For years, leaders in poor and working-class movements have been subjected to threats, harassment, unlawful arrests, and assassinations. These acts form a disturbing pattern that reveals how dangerous it has become to organise at the grassroots level, particularly when such organising challenges powerful interests, corruption, or state neglect.
As the Assembly of the Unemployed, we recognise this moment as part of a broader struggle. Zweli Mkhize’s assassination reflects the ongoing structural violence experienced by the poor, violence that manifests not only in bullets and threats but also in unemployment, hunger, evictions, and the systematic denial of basic services. When activists are killed for defending their communities, it exposes the deep failures of a society that claims to be democratic while allowing inequality and repression to persist.
We therefore call for an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation into this assassination. Those responsible, both the perpetrators and anyone who may have ordered or facilitated this crime, must be held fully accountable. Justice cannot be selective, delayed, or symbolic. It must be real, decisive, and seen to be done.
At the same time, we stress that justice cannot stop at individual accountability. The state must confront the broader political environment that enables violence against activists. This includes addressing the impunity with which attacks on community leaders often occur, strengthening protections for grassroots organisers, and ensuring that law enforcement agencies treat threats against activists with the seriousness they deserve.
We also call on civil society organisations, trade unions, faith-based groups, and progressive formations across the country to stand in solidarity with Abahlali baseMjondolo and all community movements facing repression. Silence in moments like this only deepens the danger. Collective voices are essential to defend the democratic right to organise and to protect those who risk their lives for justice.
To the family, comrades, and community of Zweli Mkhize, we extend our deepest condolences and unwavering solidarity. We mourn with you, and we honour his legacy by recommitting ourselves to the struggles he embodied. His life was a testament to courage, collective action, and the unyielding belief that the poor have both the right and the power to shape their own futures.
We must also recognise that assassinations are intended not only to eliminate individuals, but to instil fear and weaken movements. We reject that intention. Violence will not silence the voices of the unemployed, the landless, or the homeless. Instead, it strengthens our resolve to continue organising, mobilising, and demanding justice.
The Assembly of the Unemployed reaffirms that the struggle for land, housing, jobs, and dignity is inseparable from the struggle for safety and democratic rights. A society that allows activists to be killed with impunity cannot claim to be free or just. True democracy requires that the most marginalised can speak, organise, and protest without fear of violence.
We therefore pledge to honour Zweli Mkhize’s legacy not only through words of condemnation, but through continued action. We will intensify our efforts to build unity among poor and working-class communities, to defend the rights of activists, and to challenge the systemic injustices that make such violence possible.
His assassination is a painful reminder of the risks faced by those who dare to stand for justice. But it is also a reminder of the power of collective struggle. Zweli Mkhize’s voice may have been silenced, but the movement he helped build and the principles he fought for remain alive.
We will remember him as a leader of courage, a defender of the poor, and a symbol of resistance. And we will continue the struggle, with renewed determination, until justice, dignity, and equality are realised for all.