http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5289780

Church honours shack dwellers' leader

December 17, 2009 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

S'bu Zikode, president of Abahlali baseMjodolo (shack dwellers' movement), was honoured at a special awards ceremony yesterday for being a beacon of dignity and hope to shack dwellers.

The Order of the Holy Nativity award was established by the Anglican Church in 2003, and is given to Anglicans who have performed outstanding service to communities in matters of justice and reconciliation. Zikode is the first non-Anglican to receive the award.

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4771963

Shack people plead for help to rebuild lives

December 23, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

RESIDENTS of the Kennedy Road informal settlement in Clare Estate, Durban, are still waiting for assistance such as blankets, food parcels and building materials so they can rebuild their lives after they lost all their belongings in a fire on Saturday night.

They told The Mercury yesterday that they felt helpless and neglected because nobody from the municipality, including their ward councillor, visited them to assess the damage when about 30 shacks were razed by fire.

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4771015

Blaze leaves 200 people homeless

December 22, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

DEVASTATED residents of the Kennedy Road informal settlement in Clare Estate, Durban, will not be spending Christmas in their homes after fire gutted nearly 30 shacks at midnight on Saturday.

At least 200 people have been left homeless in the eighth fire in the informal settlement since the beginning of the year.

Residents interviewed by The Mercury said by the time help arrived they had lost all their possessions in the blaze.

The delay is due to Yakoob Baig....the building materials have arrived but, unlike in Kennedy where the community organisation distributed them, here the councillor has to distribute them and he is nowhere to be found......

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4637793

Call for temporary homes to be fast-tracked

October 01, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

Thousands of frustrated residents at the Foreman Road informal settlement in Clare Hills, Durban, are calling for the eThekwini Municipality to fast-track the construction of temporary shacks after more than 2 000 shacks were destroyed by fire two weeks ago.

The Mercury continues to report as if the Councillor's connection is an elected representative in Foreman Road....But it is interesting how both she and the councillor are now making some of the old Abahlali demands - taps, fire hydrants, houses. Although Baig is still talking about relocation and his handful of people in the settlement are welcoming the bulldozers....The morning after the fire a mass meeting open to all was held by the residents. A clear decision was taken to rebuild and not to accept a transit camp on the site or elsewhere.Clearly the people's views do no count for the councillor, the housing department or the newspaper...

Ma Mjoli is Cllr Yakoob Baig's person in Foreman Road, not the elected chairperson. But today she is speaking like an Umhlali....

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4611036

Blaze kills one, destroys homes
Fire leaves thousands destitute

September 15, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

DESTITUTE householders picked at the burnt remains of their shacks yesterday after fire gutted more than 2 000 informal homes at the Foreman Road settlement in Clare Hills, Durban, at the weekend.

One man burnt to death in the Saturday morning inferno.

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4579178

Student's family want answers

August 27, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI

THE family of Mthokozisi Nkwanyana, the 20-year-old University of South Africa student who died during a protest, say they are trying to raise funds for his funeral on Saturday.

Nkwanyana was a second-year political science student at the university, and the family depended on his success and hoped that he would one day save them from their anguish and poverty.

Now the impoverished family are desperately seeking funds, and appealing to the public and well-wishers to assist them with the funeral arrangements.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3045&art_id=vn20080804052925829C145416

Eight killed as fires raze settlements

August 04 2008 at 07:31AM

By Gugu Mbonambi

Eight people, including several children, died and dozens were left homeless after fires swept through two shack settlements in Durban at the weekend.

Ward 31 councillor Gloria Borman said five people, who had been locked in a shack and were unable to get out, were burnt beyond recognition.

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4508828

Residents battle after fire guts 80 shacks

July 16, 2008 Edition 1

GUGU MBONAMBI & NOMPUMELELO MAGWAZA

RESIDENTS of the Kennedy Road informal settlement in Clare Estate, Durban, are still waiting for building material to be delivered so they can rebuild their lives after a fire gutted 80 shacks on Monday morning.

Officials who visited the area yesterday sparked an angry reaction from the displaced people, who had expected building material to be delivered after about 200 people were left destitute.