16 June 2009
Press Statement from Abahlali baseKennedy

Fire Devastates the Kennedy Road Settlement – At Least One Hundred Homes Destroyed

The Red Devil Must be Defeated

Today is the 16 June, Youth Day, the anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising. In Johannesburg and Cape Town our comrades are struggling for the people to take this day back from the politicians.

Here at the Kennedy Road settlement we are burning, again. At about 1:30 last night a fire started after a paraffin stove was left unattended while a couple argued. Before it was put out around 100 shacks had burnt. At least 300 people have been left homeless. One woman has been very badly injured and has, only just now, been taken to hospital.

Stolen building materials on the truck, now impounded.

Update:Click here to read the Mercury report on this incident.

16 May 2009
Foreman Road Abahlali baseMjondolo Branch

Four ANC Members Arrested for Corruption in the Foreman Road Settlement

At around 4:00 a.m. this morning the Sydenham Police, led by Supt. Glen Nayager, arrested 4 members of the Foreman Road ANC branch on corruption charges.

21 December 2008

50 Shacks Burn in Kennedy Road

About 50 shacks burnt in the Kennedy Road settlement last night. This is the 8th fire in the settlement this year.

The fire started when a candle was knocked over just after midnight. So far there are no reports of major injuries. The fire brigade, as is now (after years of struggle) routine arrived quickly and provided a good service. We appreciate that. We trust that the Municipality will, as they began doing this year (after years of struggle), support the people who have lost their homes with building materials.

Tuesday, 02 December 2008

Arnett Drive Resident Shot With Live Ammunition, by Securicor Guard

Nomhle Mkhetho, Thokozani Mkhotli & Nikiwe Zondi

On Tuesday last week (25/11) Thokozani Mkhotli, from the Arnett Drive settlement in Reservoir Hills, was shot by a Securicor Guard with live ammunition. The bullet entered his left buttock and emerged lower down in the front of his left thigh. The trajectory of the bullet shows clearly that he was shot from behind and from above. Thokozani is 33. He is from Bizana and works as a builder's labourer fixing ceilings.

http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/2008/11/fires-at-rr-section.html

Fire At RR Section, Khayelitsha, Cape Town

More than 100 shacks burned down over the weekend at RR Section Site B and left more than 500 people homeless including women, children and disabled people.

It was early in the morning past one on Saturday when the fire started at RR Section and it started at one shack which is owned by a 30 year old man, according to the neighbour's he was drunk and left paraffin stove unattended and most people believed that he was the cause of the fire.

City Wide Shack Fire Summit, 22 September 2008

Wednesday, 08 October 2008

Abahlali baseMjondolo (KwaZulu-Natal & Western Cape)
Landless Peoples' Movement (KwaZulu-Natal & Gauteng)
Rural Network (KwaZulu-Natal)
Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign (Western Cape)
South African National Civics Organisations (eThekwini region)

The City Wide Shack Fire Summit called by Abahlali baseMjondolo was initially scheduled to be held in the Foreman Road settlement. It had to be moved to the Kennedy Road settlement after the Foreman Road settlement burnt down on 13 September leaving thousands destitute and homeless and Thembelani Khweshube dead.