The Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign is a non-racial popular movement made up of poor and oppressed communities in Cape Town, South Africa. It was formed in November 2000 with the aim of fighting evictions, water cut-offs and poor health services, obtaining free electricity, securing decent housing, and opposing police brutality.
The movement is the oldest of the first generation of so-called 'new social movements' to spring up after the end of apartheid and is known for its direct action style militancy, its refusal of all forms of vanguardism, including NGO (Non-Governmental Organisations) authoritarianism. The movement has sought to retain its autonomy from NGOs and publicly refused to work with some local NGOs and insists that the middle class left respect the autonomy of grassroots movements.
The AEC is a founding member of the Poor People's Alliance and, along with the other members of the alliance, refuses all electoral politics and encourages the development of popular power rather than voting for political parties.
The AEC was able to successfully mobilise against the 2008 xenophobic attacks in the areas where it is strong.
The AEC opposed evictions related to the FIFA 2010 World Cup.
Read more about Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign: Communities, Coordinators, Activities, Campaigns, Poor People's Alliance, Influence, See Also
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