Durban community angered by power cuts
July 3 2011 at 11:25pm
Johannesburg – Kennedy Road residents in Durban clashed with eThekwini municipal guards after they disconnected electrical cables in the settlement on Sunday, the South African shack dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo said.
“The community had previously negotiated an understanding with the municipality that they would not send their security guards into the settlement to disconnect,” spokesperson Mnikelo Ndabankulu said.
“However, this morning this agreement was violated and the people resisted the disconnections.”
A man was shot in the face with a rubber bullet when residents confronted the guards.
Metro police arrived after residents blocked roads into the settlement.
The eThekwini municipality was not immediately available for comment.
Abahlali baseMjondolo was created at the Kennedy Road settlement in 2005. It is the largest shack dwellers’ organisation in South Africa. – Sapa