Protesters hurt as police fire rubber bullets

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3576671

Protesters hurt as police fire rubber bullets

December 05, 2006 *Edition 1*

*Carvin Goldstone*

SEVERAL people were wounded yesterday when police opened fire with rubber
bullets on protesters from the Siyanda informal settlement, near Newlands,
in Durban.

The group of about 500 people had barricaded Inanda Road in protest against
construction of the new MR577 road which would necessitate the destruction
of their homes. The road will connect Newlands to Pinetown. About 10 people
were wounded by rubber bullets.

Those who had sustained serious injuries in clashes with police were
apparently taken to King Edward VIII Hospital. However, residents claimed
that many injured people were either being held untreated at the KwaMashu
Police Station or remained injured at the scene.

When The Mercury arrived at the scene of the clash, three people with rubber
bullet wounds were still at the scene and had received no medical attention.

Dumisani Ndlovu was struck by rubber bullets on his hand and on his lower
back.

“I was talking to a policeman when he pushed me with the gun and when I fell
he shot me,” he said.

Teenager Nosipho Sibiya’s left buttock was swollen and bleeding after she
had also been shot by police but, like Ndlovu, had received no medical
attention

Nosipho said she and many others had not been involved in the protest, but
had been shot because police had entered the settlement looking for
protesters.

“I was at home and ran out to find my younger brother when a policeman shot
me.”

Gladys Ndlovu, who escaped unscathed, said she and others had refused to
move when asked to because they wanted someone to listen to their
complaints. She said the police had hovered with a helicopter over the crowd
to frighten people, but they had still refused to move.

“The police told us that the march was not permitted and then started to
shoot, but no one fought back. We were waiting for someone to hear our
complaints. Those who ran were shot by police and some police followed
people into the settlement and shot them.

“No one returned fire. They dragged some of us, even a crippled man was
dragged.”

Ndlovu, who has lived in Siyanda for 15 years, said she wanted the house she
had been promised but was now being offered hostel type accommodation near
the settlement.

Others were being relocated to newly built houses at nearby Ntuzuma but were
feeling threatened because people living in informal settlements in Ntuzuma
were demanding those houses.

Police spokeswoman Gugu Sabela said the protest was illegal and police had
asked the people to disperse, but they had refused. She denied that police
were holding injured people.

Those injured had been taken to a clinic and five people had been arrested.
She said it was possible that police would have been unaware of other
injured people who remained untreated at the scene.