Ayanda Kota, leader of the Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM), has been chosen as the Grocott’s Mail Newsmaker of the Year for 2011.
He was selected for this title after a fair amount of debate by the staff of our newspaper for occupying a place of prominence on the pages of this publication on various occasions throughout the year.
Ayanda Kota, leader of the Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM), has been chosen as the Grocott’s Mail Newsmaker of the Year for 2011.
He was selected for this title after a fair amount of debate by the staff of our newspaper for occupying a place of prominence on the pages of this publication on various occasions throughout the year.
He has often been a thorn in the side of the municipality’s higher echelons for leading well organised protest actions against the lack of service delivery in the poorer sections of Makana.
On 10 February, Kota and three other activists were arrested for their alleged roles in protests that took place in and around the Phaphamani informal settlement on the previous day. Residents damaged roads, burnt tyres and set up blockades in protest against the rape of a young woman and against the repeated water outages in many parts of town.
"In Thembeni, Phaphamani, Extension 6 and 7, Zolani, Tantyi, and Eluxolweni people are still using the bucket system. Half of Grahamstown does not have toilets 17 years into democracy. Unemployment is at around 70 percent. The jobs that do exist are allocated on the basis of party political loyalty," Kota said.
Police used rubber bullets, stun grenades and other weapons on the protesters and arrested Kota, Xola Mali and Nombulelo Yami of the UPM as well as Ntombentsha Budaza of the Women’s Social Forum. The four spent a night in jail before they were released on bail the next day.
Part of their bail conditions stipulated that they may not take part in any protest actions and they had to stay at least 100 metres away from the municipal offices and the magistrates court. The four appeared in court four times before charges against them were finally dropped at the beginning of August.
In the run-up to the local elections in May, Kota established a relationship with the Students for Social Justice (SSJ) and although he was not a panellist at the Grocott’s Mail election debate held in the Extension 9 Hall, he did put some challenging questions to the panel.
In August, Kota became co-leader with journalism lecturer Jane Duncan of the Rhodes University branch of the Democratic Left Front (DLF). Kota and Duncan are members of the national committee of the DLF, which is made up of former members of the ANC, SACP, Cosatu, independent trade unions, social movements, individual activists and non-government organisations.
Free of the restrictive bail conditions, Kota became visible once again at UPM protests, but he next occupied the pages of the newspaper as an organiser for the Right2know campaign.
He became an ardent campaigner against the Protection of Information Bill and participated in protests against the controversial legislation in Cape Town. It was however, as chairman of the UPM that Ayanda Kota made the most dramatic protest statement of the year.
On 15 October, he led yet another UPM march down High Street. Protesting against poor service delivery in front of the municipal offices, a series of speeches culminated in the flinging of buckets of putrid human excrement into the entrance corridor of City Hall.
The foul stench disrupted a church meeting in the hall but did not affect the municipal officials who were not in their offices as it was a Saturday. While Kota built much of his high profile as a protest leader in our area, he also played a positive role as president of the Makana Local Football Association.
At a recent awards ceremony he urged residents to support their children in getting involved in sporting activities rather than gravitating towards drinking establishments. He said, “Young people drink as if there's no tomorrow. Our society is broken. Where are we heading as the nation?”
It is important to note that in selecting Ayanda Kota as Newsmaker of the Year, it does not mean that Grocott’s Mail endorses any of his activities – it is merely recognition of the fact that he has regularly been on the pages of this publication.
Two other newsmakers were in contention for the title including the suspended Chief Financial Officer of Makana, Jackson Ngcelwane, who came in a close second place, followed by the Municipal Manager, Ntombi Baart.
We will be happy to publish your comments on our choice in our next edition which will be on the shelves of your favourite store on 6 January 2012.
