as usual the poor must be blamed rather than the system that denies people decent housing and fails to, even as a minimal measure, electrify the shack settlements.....

http://www.thestar.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=nw20080817091940487C554973

17 August 2008, 09:19
More than 1000 shacks burnt down at the Denver hostel squatter camp in southern Johannesburg late on Saturday night, according to Johannesburg Emergency Management services.

Spokesperson Percy Morokane said about 3000 people were homeless after the fire started in the settlement at the junction of Main Reef Road and Plantasie Street just after midnight.

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2007-06-22-police-arrest-man-following-deadly-shack-fire

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Jun 22 2007 13:25

A man and a woman died, four people were injured and 45 shacks were destroyed in a fire in Malvern, Johannesburg police said on Friday.

A 46-year-old man -- thought to have started the blaze at about 11pm on Thursday night -- has been arrested, said police spokesperson Captain Cheryl Engelbrecht. He has been charged with arson and murder and is being held at the Cleveland police station.

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-08-03-five-children-burn-to-death-in-shack-fire

Fire: Five siblings die locked in Durban shack
03 Aug 2008
Sapa

Five Durban siblings burnt to death when their shack caught alight in
the early hours of Saturday morning, the eThekwini fire department said.

Four teenagers, one carrying a baby, were unable to escape the flames in
the shack because the burglar gates on it were locked, said fire
department divisional commander Dennis Govender.

http://www.themercury.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=nw20080728091105971C573977

Ntuzuma residents protest against housing
28 July 2008, 09:33

More than 500 people burnt tyres in protest over a lack of housing in Durban's Ntuzuma area on Monday.

There was a heavy police presence and crowds had been gathering in F Section since 4am.

Numerous protesters carried knobkerries, sticks and banners. One called for the resignation of local African National Congress councillor S'khumbuzo Ndaba.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080512154233670C917910

May 12 2008 at 03:47PM

Police fired rubber bullets on Monday to break up an illegal service delivery protest by Orange Farm residents.

"Today (Monday) at about 4.30am residents from Orange Farm started to barricade the Golden Highway road," said police spokesperson Nthabiseng Mazibuko.

The about 400 protestors dispersed about 10.20am after being addressed by ward councillors from the area.

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=337339&referrer=RSS

Ship with arms for Zim flees Durban after court ruling
Durban, South Africa
19 April 2008 07:49

A ship that was carrying weapons and ammunition destined for Zimbabwe lifted anchor and sailed from Durban less than an hour after the Durban High Court ordered that its controversial cargo cannot be transported across South Africa to that country.

The An Yue Jiang lifted anchor between 6pm and 7pm on Friday evening.

Several sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the ship had set sail from the outer anchorage off the port of Durban, where it had been at anchor since at least Monday.

http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=750957

Union refuses to unload arms ship
Sapa Published:Apr 17, 2008

Opposition to a shipment of arms being offloaded in Durban and transported to Zimbabwe increased today when South Africa’s largest transport workers union announced that its members would not unload the ship.

# Zim-bound arms cargo was approved

SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) general secretary Randall Howard said: "Satawu does not agree with the position of the South African government not to intervene with this shipment of weapons.

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=337140&referrer=RSS

Cops accused of harassing street traders

Johannesburg, South Africa
16 April 2008 03:13
The police have been accused of harassing street traders and charging them exorbitant fines.

In a street-traders' survey released on Wednesday, most of the traders interviewed -- 94% -- said they had been harassed by police. At least 82% of street traders said they had had their goods confiscated by the police and had difficulty in recovering them.

Will Nayager ever be held to account?

http://www.themercury.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20080411054711853C962360

Evidence obtained by torture is inadmissible
11 April 2008, 11:28

Evidence obtained through the use of police torture is inadmissible, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) held in a judgment delivered on Thursday.

The court held that even when the evidence was reliable and necessary to secure the conviction of an accused facing serious charges, it was inadmissible.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=nw20080311082522315C974899&set_id=1&click_id=15&sf=

Cop stoned during protest in Durban

March 11 2008 at 08:45AM

A police officer was stoned during a protest at Durban's Klaarwater township, police said on Tuesday.

Superintendent Vincent Mdunge said the officer had been monitoring a residents' protest near Mariannhill on Monday when he was stoned.

"He sustained severe head injuries and is in hospital," he said.

Mdunge said twelve protesters were arrested for public violence.

Earlier in the day, at least 500 residents used scrap cars, fridges and burning tyres to barricade several streets leading into the township.