 On May 5th, Noko Thula Mabaso, a militant land rights activist in South Africa, was assassinated. Mabaso was the leader of Abhaaklali Basem Hushendolo, South Africa's militant shatwellist movement that fights for land rights of the urban poor. She was a 40-year-old mother of four and was leading the Abhaaklali common in the Ikhanana occupation in Durban. She was the third activist of the movement to be killed in less than two months. My name is Mukape Liponano. I am the Deputy President of Abhaaklali. Today, as a movement, we are mourning. We are deeply hurt. It's painful for losing complete Mabaso. Also, as everybody knows that just two months ago, complete ayandangela was also calm down to Ikhanana. With all these killings, we are really being hurt. And we are asking ourselves the question why the government, even the Minister of Police doesn't come and assist us. But we are clear that the Ngubanes that are behind of this killing also the local A&C in that area are also working with Afakito Police Station. Abhaaklali described her as a soldier in their movement who ensured that more than 100 families had land and roof over their heads. Mabaso was gunned down on the evening before she was supposed to appear in court to oppose the bail of Kaya Ngubane. Kaya is the son of the local African National Congress chief, Enes Ngubane. He is accused by eyewitnesses in the Ikhanana commune of assassinating their deputy chairperson, 29-year-old Ayanda Engela on March 8. He is also accused of attacking and injuring two other members of Ikhanana with an axe two days before Engela's assassination. Mabaso was a key witness to Ayanda Engela's murder. On her way back to her shack from a meeting with her comrades who had planned to go to court the next morning, Mabaso was shot at around 7.30pm outside her home with six bullets, four in her back, one in her chest and one in her stomach. Mabaso was instrumental in developing the Ikhanana commune's food sovereignty projects which included a poultry farm. This allowed the residents to generate enough revenue to sustain the community. Abhaaklali's statement said she played a key role in turning the occupation into a commune. However, a sustained campaign of attacks and arrests against the commune's leaders by the ruling ANC government depleted the community's savings and the projects began to suffer. Mabaso took charge at that time and ensured that the projects that sustained the commune survived. Since 2009, the movement has lost 23 leaders to assassinations. Abhaaklali stated, We have built a commune in which, according to the principles of Abhaaklalism, land is not bought and sold and shacks are not rented. The local ANC wants the land in Ikhanana to be used for private profit and not for communal purposes. The ANC is threatened by a woman who has led the occupation and continued with the commune despite the severe repression over the years and when other leaders are in jail in hiding or have been assassinated. So right now we are losing people in Ikhanana and we are clear that why they are doing this to us is because of the work that Abhaaklalil do in Ikhanana. But today, no more Mabaso is no more and no one is there from the government to assist us. We are calling with all progressive forces to join us in solidarity and then we can be able to strengthen our workers Abhaaklali. Let's try to continue.