The delay is due to Yakoob Baig....the building materials have arrived but, unlike in Kennedy where the community organisation distributed them, here the councillor has to distribute them and he is nowhere to be found......

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4637793

Call for temporary homes to be fast-tracked

October 01, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

Thousands of frustrated residents at the Foreman Road informal settlement in Clare Hills, Durban, are calling for the eThekwini Municipality to fast-track the construction of temporary shacks after more than 2 000 shacks were destroyed by fire two weeks ago.

http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=844809

Residents threaten to destroy bulldozers

17 September 2008
Canaan Mdletshe

The Abahlali Basemjondolo movement has threatened to destroy any bulldozers sent to demolish their newly built shacks at the Foreman Road settlement outside Durban.

Municipal bulldozers were yesterday expected to demolish shacks that had been rebuilt by residents after more than 2000 were burnt down at the weekend. One resident died in the fire.

Abahlali spokesman Mnikelo Ndabankulu warned that the bulldozers were not welcome. He said residents had waited since Sunday for the bulldozers to clean up the area after the fire, but when they did not arrive, the residents started rebuilding their shacks.

Update:

22:32,Tuesday 16 September 2008

The City has agreed to support what ever the community decides with regard to the way forward (i.e. to rebuild themselves, to be be given tin houses etc).

An open assembly was held last night at which everyone in Foreman Road was invited, including the councillor to whom a small group of about 10 people remain loyal. Although the councillor didn't attend the meeting it was well attended. The following decisions were collectively agreed to:

* No shack that survived the fire should be demolished.
* No rebuilt shack should be demolished without the consent of the people living in it.

Ma Mjoli is Cllr Yakoob Baig's person in Foreman Road, not the elected chairperson. But today she is speaking like an Umhlali....

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4611036

Blaze kills one, destroys homes
Fire leaves thousands destitute

September 15, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

DESTITUTE householders picked at the burnt remains of their shacks yesterday after fire gutted more than 2 000 informal homes at the Foreman Road settlement in Clare Hills, Durban, at the weekend.

One man burnt to death in the Saturday morning inferno.

http://www.themercury.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20080914091212674C742550

Man killed, thousands left homeless

14 September 2008, 10:28
By Charmel Bowman

A 30-year-old man burnt to death and three people were reported missing when a raging fire swept across 600 shacks in the Foreman Road informal settlement, Sydenham, early on Saturday.

At least 2 000 people were left homeless after a candle left burning caused a shack to catch alight.

The fire spread, razing all their homes. Of the three believed to be missing, two are thought to be children under the age of nine.

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=285&fArticleId=3004548

OPINION

Eye on civil society

Democracy took a beating in Foreman Road

It was a march in line with the great tradition of peaceful civil disobedience, and posed no threat, writes Richard Pithouse
November 22, 2005

By Richard Pithouse

Democracy took a major beating in Durban last week. The first blow came when the eThekwini Municipality banned a march organised by the Foreman Road Development Committee. The Committee has been elected to represent the Foreman Road shack settlement. Along with 15 other settlements they had affiliated to the Abahlali base Mjondolo [shack dwellers'] movement that had organised previous marches from the Kennedy Road and Quarry Road settlements. Each of these large marches had been entirely peaceful. The Foreman Road march was planned for Monday 14 November. The Committee completed all the paper work necessary to apply for a permit to stage a legal march in good time. But three days before the scheduled march a terse fax was received from the Municipality stating that the march was "prohibited". Two reasons were given for banning the march. The first was that "Officials from the Mayor's Office have advised us that they have no feedback for your organisation". The second was that "The Mayor's Office labour is unable to assist you and there will be no representative there to meet you." City Manager Mike Sutcliffe is responsible for administering requests to hold legal marches.