Another Coffin for Another Durban Councillor: Quarry Road Marches on Jayraj Bachu

On Tuesday 4 October well over a 1 000 people, mostly from the Quarry Road settlement, marched to demand land, housing, the return of their toilets and the resignation of Ward 23 Councillor Jayraj Bachu. Quarry Road is a relatively small settlement perched on the muddy banks of the Umgeni River in the elite suburb of Reservoir Hills. The march was to together in a few days and the organisers, the Quarry Road Development Committee, had only expected a few hundred people. But the message that the poor have a right to live in the city and should fight forced removals proved so resonant that participation exceeded all expectations.

http://www.southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2006/01/9445.php

Durban court denies eviction notice to shackdwellers
by Steph Lane Friday January 06, 2006 at 07:27 PM

This morning in the Durban High court, a judge adjourned a request from University of Kwa-Zulu Natal to evict four households from a shack settlement called Banana City, located within the grounds of the University's Westville Campus. She ruled that because the University had not filled out all of the proper documents, they were not in order a! nd would have to re-serve the eviction notices to the households, and appear again to the court at a later date.

http://www.southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2006/02/9636.php

Threats made to shack dwellers at Joe Slovo settlement in Mobeni Heights in Lamontville
by Steph Lane and Fazel Khan

Two weeks ago at the Joe Slovo informal settlement, bulldozers came in and destroyed the house of an outspoken member of the community. He had invited a journalist to the settlement to talk about corruption in the housing allocation process at Joe Slovo, accusing the local community leader of giving preferential treatment to family members, and of excluding Xhosa residents from new housing. Other members of the community, including Mrs. B. Gule, are worried that their houses are next to be razed.

Available with pictures from
http://southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2006/03/10123.php

Women of Ward 80 March,Umlazi, Durban
by Raj
Friday March 31, 2006

In an unusually photogenic march, residents of Umlazi's Ward 80, led by
the Women of Ward 80, took to the streets against their corrupt councillor,
Elliot Xulu. There were 20 arrests following a skirmish with Xulu's goons.
All were released without charge.

The march begins in high spirits, led by representatives of Monica Ngcobo's
family, and women relocated from Cato Manor in the late 1950s/early 60s.

One tactic, used to resist the attempt by the police to set the pace of the

Available with Photos from
http://southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2006/07/10808.php

Sunday, Jul. 23, 2006 at 8:05 AM

A fire in Quarry Road informal settlement, Clare Estate, Durban, has
been an opportunity for a number of predators.

Quarry Road Fire - 23 July 2006