Third force blamed for violent protest

This article was originally published on page 2 of the Daily News on December 05, 2006. Click here to read an article in the Daily News from 16 July 2003 in which it becomes clear whose interests ‘slum eradication’ in the area is aimed at serving.

Third force blamed for violent protest
December 05 2006 at 02:59PM

By Heinz de Boer

Monday’s violent confrontation between heavily armed police and angry informal settlement residents in Newlands, Durban, has taken a new turn, with councillors claiming a third political force was to blame for instigating the mass action.

ANC ward councillor Mduduzi Madonda and chairperson of the Housing Portfolio Committee Nigel Gumede said it was not the first time that residents had expressed their dissatisfaction with allocated low-cost houses after “interference” from other political parties.

While both Gumede and Madonda would not positively name the party, Gumede said the party had had its opportunity to provide better homes during its ruling mandate of KZN.

The furore over the housing allocation comes after police were forced to disperse a 500-strong crowd of Siyanda informal settlement residents who had staged an impromptu march in Inanda Road. The disgruntled group had partially obstructed the road with huge concrete barriers from a nearby construction site in protest over government plans to relocate them to other formal low cost housing.

Siyanda’s houses are soon to make way for the new MR 577 provincial road that will link Duffs Road to the Pinetown region. Although given notice of the relocation and proposed building plans, Siyanda residents said the low-cost double-storey houses allocated to them were too small and not suitable for the many elderly pensioners, who could not negotiate the steps.

They further slammed plans to move them to other low cost housing schemes in the Ntuzuma region, saying residents already relocated there were being victimised by locals.

Serious allegations of police brutality, which have since been refuted by the SAPS, has added further fuel to the tensions that threaten to boil over into further violent confrontations.

A large group of Siyanda residents claimed police brandishing shotguns loaded with rubber bullets ran into the settlement and fired at people, even after they had vacated the road. Others claimed police were involved in kicking, dragging and intimidating residents.

Gumede said there was no valid reason for the protest as residents had been extensively consulted on the double-storey issue after initial demands from residents that they all be relocated to one housing estate. For that reason, he said, planners decided on the double-storey concept to accommodate all the Siyanda people in an estate named Kulula.

“These are starter houses for people to incrementally upgrade and develop as they can. We have done almost everything to engage with the people and if they don’t take occupation we will be forced to demolish the shacks,” said Gumede.

“In terms of the law if we affect the lives of the people we have to give alternatives, and instead of living in shacks we say: take these homes with water and electricity.”

SAPS spokesperson Supt Gugu Sabela said there were conflicting reports on the number of people injured in the scuffle, but confirmed that five people had been arrested for public violence. She said the march was illegal and was dispersed after residents blockaded the road and disrupted traffic.