http://www.slate.com/id/2193949/

"Broke-on-Broke Violence"

What the U.S. press got wrong about South Africa's xenophobic riots.
By Kerry Chance
Posted Friday, June 20, 2008, at 5:10 PM ET

Since early May, we've heard about a beacon of African democracy gone berserk. The U.S. press coverage of xenophobic riots in South Africa told of victims gruesomely killed—beaten, slashed, doused in petrol and set alight—and untold thousands displaced. The stories described mobs of poor South Africans armed with sticks and machetes, shouting, "Kill the foreigner!" and President Thabo Mbeki leaving the violence unchecked for more than a week before eventually calling in the army, causing shootouts in the townships reminiscent of the bad old days of apartheid.

Evictions Continue in Hout Bay
A Report for Abahlali baseMjondolo
by Kerry Chance

CAPE TOWN – March 31, 2008 – The eviction of eight families, 25 adults and 15 children living in shacks and brick houses along the beach in Hangberg, Hout Bay was scheduled for today. The eviction was lodged by South African Sea Products, a subsidiary fishing company owned by several corporations including Tiger Brand Foods, Ltd. Hangberg residents, working with a community organization called Solution Seekers, successfully secured a temporary interdict. They will challenge the eviction order in the Wynberg courts on April 17.

Report on Public Participation Exercises For: “The Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Bill”

I. Kennedy Road Public Participation Exercise

4 May, 2007

General Information:

On 4 May, 2007, members of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature attended a public participation exercise at Kennedy Hall located at the Kennedy Road shack settlement to discuss “The Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Bill.” The exercise began at 11am and ended at 1pm. Among the legislators in attendance were Lennox Mabaso (Spokesperson for Housing and Local Government) and Tim Jeebodh (Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Housing). The Kennedy Hall was filled to capacity with approximately 100 to 200 people, many from affiliated-Abahlali baseMjondolo shack settlements and others from nearby ANC-aligned communities.

Report for AbM by Kerry Chance

Cape Town QQ Section Residents March to Demand Relocation

On 15 August, 2007, a hundred residents of the QQ section shack settlement marched through downtown Cape Town to demand immediate relocation. Marchers declared “No house, no land, no vote!” on the steps of the provincial parliament.

They called on Housing MEC Richard Dyantyi to accept a memorandum. He did not appear in person, but sent his spokesperson Vusi Tshose, who signed the memorandum and promised to deliver it to the MEC.

Coordinator Mzonke Poni read the memorandum, which demanded that all QQ residents be moved to suitable land with houses, water and toilets. The marchers stood listening, holding placards that read “1300 homes in QQ section have no toilets,” “We are tired of the mayor’s empty promises,” and “This city is only accountable to the rich.” They shouted “down with pit toilets and shacks, forward with houses and flush toilets.”

Shack Fires to Lead to More Mass Action

by Kerry Chance

On Thursday 17 August, two hundred residents of various Durban shack settlements joined prominent religious, academic and political figures in a memorial service for Mr. Zithulele Dhlomo, 70, who died in a sudden fire last Saturday.

The memorial was held in the Kennedy Road community hall, where broken windows let in the chilly night air. Activists along with Archbishop Reuben Phillip and poet Dennis Brutus called for substantive and immediate improvement to housing and services. Amongst red-white-and-black banners that read: “We demand decent housing,” mourners lit candles and sang, intermittently dancing and toyi-toying.

23 August 2006

On Thursday 17 August, two hundred residents of various Durban shack settlements joined prominent religious, academic and political figures in a memorial service for Mr. Zithulele Dhlomo, 70, who died in a sudden fire last Saturday.

Broken windows let in the chilly night air at the Kennedy Road community hall, where the memorial was held. Activists along with Bishop Reuben Phillip and poet Dennis Brutus called for substantive and immediate improvement to housing and services. Amongst red-white-and-black banners that read: We demand decent housing, mourners lit candles and sang, intermittently dancing and toyi-toiying.