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Seven held in Durban protest

February 09 2009 at 11:08AM

Seven people were arrested for allegedly attacking police and passing cars in a protest against the lack of RDP houses in Ntuzuma,
outside Durban, on Monday.

“They blocked an entrance to the Metro bus depot at around 3am because they wanted people not to go to work, so that government can listen to them,” said police spokesperson Captain Phindile Nxumalo.

“Policemen tried to negotiate with them but were stoned. They also attacked cars that were passing by. We had to open rubber bullets to clamp them down.”

Nxumalo said there were around 1,000 protesters and 11 sustained minor injuries when police fired rubber bullets.

She said the people were shack dwellers from Kwamancinza section and the nearby Lindelani. They were demanding Reconstruction and Development Programme houses from government.

“Now, they are being addressed by an official from the mayor’s office, we’ll see what happens after that,” she said.

Nxumalo said community members were affected by the absence of buses, and were queuing for taxis in streets not affected by the blocked depot.