For as long as shackdwellers are denied electricity the fires will keep coming. Winter is the worst time. But they come all the time. When the eThekwini Municipality decided to 'discontinue the electrification of the informal settlements' they were deciding to continue with avoidable fires rampaging through people's lives. Their electrificity policy states that 'In past (1990s) electrification was rolled out to all and sundry...electrification of the informal settlements has now been discontinued'.

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The Star

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=283&fArticleId=3216056

Shack blaze leaves 250 homeless
April 23, 2006

By Xoliswa Zulu

About 250 people lost their homes and their belongings early yesterday when a fire ravaged an informal settlement in Sparks Road in Sydenham, Durban.

May Xulu and her family of eight were among those left homeless last night.

She said losing her home was the most devastating thing that had happened to her. Everything she owned went up in flames.

"We woke up in the early hours of the morning to find this fire sweeping through the settlement. Everything my family owned has gone up in flames. We have absolutely nothing.

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=283&fArticleId=3139845

Woman shot dead amid protests against election outcome in Umlazi

Residents go on the rampage
March 3, 2006

By Xoliswa Zulu

Umlazi resembled the embattled town of Khutsong yesterday when protesters barricaded roads and set tyres alight in protest against an ANC councillor they believe was imposed on them by the party's provincial leadership.

About 500 residents in Umlazi's E Section took to the streets and went on the rampage after hearing that ANC councillor Bhekisisa Elliot Xulu had won the municipal election and would remain councillor of Ward 80 for another five years. He has been a councillor in the area since 1996.