This is not even vaguely accurate...it is what happens when stories are written with, of all people, the police as a single source. And it must be noted that there are always attempts to slander the victims of shack fires - most often as ungrateful quarrelling drunkards who cause the fires and then reject help.In fact the police arrived long after the fire brigade who had already got the blaze under control. There was a clash with the police after they tried to arrest a woman who had been blamed for the fire. People resisted the attempt at arrest and then started shooting with rubber bullets. They always shoot at any crowd of people in or coming from a shack settlement. Negotiation is not on their agenda. Not ever. It was after they started shooting that the stones were thrown. The actions of the police, and what they told this journalist, was just more of their usual attempts to blame the victims. The Kennedy Committee has to intervene and explain to the police that their job was to protect this woman.

War over Warwick rages on
Traders get third court order to open market

June 16, 2009 Edition 1

Lyse Comins

The war of Warwick Junction rages through Youth Day after traders obtained a third court order against eThekwini authorities.

The Early Morning Market traders secured another Durban High Court order yesterday forcing the municipality to open the market to legal traders tomorrow.

This came in the wake of another violent clash with Metro Police and a day of lost trade yesterday.

The Early Morning Market Traders' Association chairman, Harry Ramlall, said his attorney was scheduled to meet the city's legal counsel in court again today to clarify the dispute over legal and illegal traders in the market.

http://www.dailynews.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=nw20090615131411280C220198

eThekwini council in trouble with the law
15 June 2009, 14:56

The eThekwini municipality has been accused of defying a court order after it locked traders out of the Early Morning Market on Monday despite the Durban High Court ruling that they can trade.

Chaos broke out when metro police officers fired rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of people who wanted to break the market gate after the municipality prevented traders without valid permits from entering.

http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4848874

Constitutional freedoms

February 18, 2009 Edition 1

Dr Sayed Iqbal Mohamed

When a judgment is delivered, people take positions, and it is not uncommon for lawyers, academics and the public to engage in criticism. MEC of Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs Mike Mabuyakhulu's attempt to "rebut" the constructive criticisms of the High Court's controversial judgment of the Slums Act is sophistry plastered with clichés. He would want us to believe that criticising a judgment translates into disrespect for the rule of law. He further avers "that when judges rule, they make their ruling on the basis of law and not on the basis of opinion or feelings".

http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4845043

Slums Act does provide protection for the poor

February 16, 2009 Edition 1

Michael Mabuyakhulu

As someone who respects the rule of law, one feels a little reluctant to engage in a fruitless debate such as the one raised by Sayed Iqbal Mohamed (Daily News February 3, 2009, headlined "Poor left out of equation").

Were it not for the sake of the public whom Mohamed sought deliberately to mislead, we would not have felt the need to dignify Mohamed's propaganda with a response. Mohamed has fallen into the trap of using his opinions in an effort to condemn an important decision by our court; he forgets one thing, that when judges rule they make their ruling on the basis of law and not on the basis of opinions or feelings. Clearly Mohamed has not properly read or understood the contents of the Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Act. Let us offer our assistance to him.

http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4782239

'They pushed my brother out of the window'

January 06, 2009 Edition 2

DASEN THATHIAH

A Tanzanian refugee, who escaped death by hiding in a bathroom, is reeling after losing a second brother to alleged xenophobic violence in less than a year.

Zane Omari's younger brother, Said, died yesterday as a result of injuries he sustained when he was allegedly forced out of a sixth-floor window at Venture Africa, a shelter for refugees in Broad Street.

Zane's older brother, Ramadhani, died in Johannesburg in the xenophobic violence that swept the country last year.

The nightmare is back...The rank denialism of the state last time this happened in Durban has allowed the madness to fester....

http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4782485

Three die in refugee terror
'Armed mob wanted foreigners'

January 06, 2009 Edition 2

VIVIAN ATTWOOD and SLINDILE MALULEKA

AFRICAN refugees and asylum seekers in Durban's city centre are living in terror after three foreign nationals died when they were forced from the sixth-floor windows of a block of flats, allegedly by members of the local community policing forum.

http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4607506

Ward councillor locked in home over service delay

September 12, 2008 Edition 1

THANDIWE MTHETHWA

Residents of Siyanda in KwaMashu, north of Durban, have been urged to be patient for service delivery.

This plea came from the councillor of the area, Mdudu-zi Madondo, after some of the community marched to the home of a ward committe member, locked her in her house anddemanded speedy service delivery.

Some houses do not have electricity and running water.

Click here for pictures of police injuries.

http://www.themercury.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20081205110652344C943369

Police 'shoot' Macambini protesters
5 December 2008, 11:47
By Mpume Madlala

Angry Macambini residents near Mandini on Thursday said they were shocked at the brutality of the police, saying that the treatment meted out to them smacked of the apartheid regime.

At least 10 people were arrested and several injured when a crowd of 3 000 people clashed with police.

http://www.dailynews.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20081113053525990C273750

KZN housing development threatened
13 November 2008, 08:22

By Nompumelelo Magwaza & Mangi Baliti

Residents of a Newlands West, Durban, settlement threatened to stop construction of the Khulula housing project in the area if they were not employed by the construction company on site.

The unemployed Siyanda residents blockaded the offices of Namandla Road and Civil on Wednesday, demanding to benefit from the development.