Daily News: Kennedy Road: teen hurt

The security guard killed last month was shot in Kenville, an area where there is no AbM branch.

http://www.dailynews.co.za/kennedy-road-teen-hurt-1.1114006

Kennedy Road: teen hurt

August 8 2011 at 04:00pm

KAMCILLA PILLAY

Mlamuli Bango was at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The 16-year-old was coming back from a shop when he was shot with rubber bullets during a clash between residents and security guards at the Kennedy Road informal settlement on Saturday.

“I heard gunshots and that there was some problem with the people and illegal electricity connections,” said the Grade 8 Lakehaven Secondary School pupil.

He was then hit three times, once on his arm and twice on his back.

Security guards and some residents at the Kennedy Road informal settlement have clashed in the past as the municipality looks to disconnect illegal electricity connections and deal with cable theft.

A month ago, a man was shot on the chin with a rubber bullet when guards raided the settlement.

Illegal connections and cable theft cost ratepayers R120 million a year.

Mlamuli spent Saturday night in Addington Hospital and was discharged yesterday.

“The doctors said that I must come back if I feel any pain,” he said.

“I’m scared now. I wish I could live somewhere else,” said Bango.

His mother, Nomonde, said that she was worried about her children walking the streets.

“What if this happens again?

“And what if he is killed the next time?” she asked.

Nozuko Hulushe, Bango’s aunt, who witnessed the incident, said she saw members of a private security company raiding dwellings and removing cables that had been used to illegally connect electricity.

“Members of the community got angry because we need the electricity – it is a basic need that has not been provided by the municipality,” she said.

Police spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mdunge, said police had received a report that a 16-year-old boy had been shot with rubber bullets.

“Some of the private security guards were assaulted. There was gunfire that came from within the settlement,” he said.

President of Abahlali baseMjondolo, the shack dwellers’ movement, Sbu Zikode, said police needed to find out who was responsible for shooting Mlamuli.

“This is the reality of the war that the eThekwini Municipality and the government of South Africa is waging on the poor of this country day after day,” he said.

“Who was responsible for the shooting: the guards or the community?” he asked.

Mdunge said there were no Metro police officers or SAPS members on the scene.

eThekwini Municipality department of electricity head, Sandile Maphumulo, said his department was aware that people living in shacks needed electricity but said committees were meeting to discuss how they would go about doing this later this month.

“The challenge is bigger than people think,” he said at the time.

The community was still tense after a security guard tasked with protecting city workers was killed last month.

kamcilla.pillay@inl.co.za