Council lashed for ‘bulldozing’ houses

14 October 2008
Canaan Mdletshe

The Homeless People’s Federation, an NGO in Lamontville outside Durban, yesterday lashed out at the eThekwini municipality for demolishing homes it had helped locals to build.

The homes were flattened to the ground to make way for the municipality’s housing projects.

The NGO claimed this was in contravention of an agreement it had signed with the provincial and the national departments.

It says the homes built by the locals were superior to those planned by the municipality. Shacks were also bulldozed.

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.

http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=814858

5 siblings die in locked-up shack

04 August 2008

Five siblings burnt to death when their shack caught fire at the weekend.

eThekwini’s fire department divisional commander Dennis Govender said the children were unable to escape the shack in Cato Crest, an informal settlement outside Durban, because the burglar gate was locked.

“The mother had locked in the children and went out when the shack caught fire, ” he said.

The mother was too traumatised to give the ages of the children .

http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=744974

Sowetan 10/4/2008

Amakhosi tell protesters to stop marching

Canaan Mdletshe

Traditional leaders in Ulundi have warned protesters in the area to stop or face their wrath.

Phumempini Josias Mtshali, head of the Buthelezi clan, told the “loose cannons” that there has never been protests in Ulundi and that there never will be.

Two service delivery protests took place in the area recently.

Mtshali said: “We have noticed with concern the recent protests. Protest leaders call us names.