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South African “shack dwellers” group fights for people in informal settlements
South African housing advocate S’bu Zikode used to live in an informal settlement community in Durban, South Africa called Kennedy Road. It was just one of numerous settlements in and around the city. For years, the inhabitants of this community have been pressured by the government to relocate to the less developed areas outside Durban. Last year, Kennedy Road was attacked, leaving two people dead, and driving people like S’bu, out of their homes.
Sine 2005, he’s been the leader of a housing rights group called Abahlali, which means ‘residents who live in shacks’ in Zulu. S’bu is touring the U.S. and tells us about South Africa’s housing issues.