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Violent protests over SA housing Violent protests over SA housing
(about 1 hour later)
Police in South Africa have used rubber bullets to disperse crowds of angry township-dwellers outside Soweto. One person has been killed during angry clashes between police and protesters in the South African township of Soweto, police say.
The protesters have been demonstrating over what they see as the government's failure to improve living conditions. The man was run over by a bakery van during the protests, in which police fired rubber bullets and demonstrators threw rocks and burned tyres.
One community leader told the BBC residents still have no water, no electricity and no sewage provision. The protesters are angry at what they see as the government's failure to improve living conditions.
The BBC's Peter Greste in South Africa says these are the latest in a series of increasingly violent clashes over a lack of housing and other services. A BBC correspondent says these are the latest in a series of violent clashes.
In Protea South, a sprawling shanty town of tin shacks and lean-tos outside Johannesburg, scores of angry protesters have been confronting police. One community leader told the BBC that local residents still had no water, no electricity and no sewage provision.
They complained that after years of promises from politicians and local councillors nothing has changed. In Protea South, a sprawling shanty town of tin shacks and lean-tos outside Johannesburg, scores of angry protesters complained that nothing has changed despite years of promises from politicians and local councillors, nothing has changed.
The demonstrators said they gathered after local government officials refused to meet them to discuss their complaints.The demonstrators said they gathered after local government officials refused to meet them to discuss their complaints.
ArrestsArrests
Police confronted the crowd and after a stand-off that lasted several hours councillors came for talks. Police confronted the crowd and after a stand-off that lasted several hours, councillors came for talks.
But as the discussion grew heated, protesters threw rocks at the armoured vehicle they were talking from.But as the discussion grew heated, protesters threw rocks at the armoured vehicle they were talking from.
Police opened fire with rubber bullets, shooting low and flat as the crowd scattered into the township.Police opened fire with rubber bullets, shooting low and flat as the crowd scattered into the township.
At least 11 people have been arrested and several people were injured. "Police had to use rubber bullets when hundreds of residents became violent during a protest," police spokeswoman Inspector Edna Mamonyane told the AFP news agency.
Our correspondent says the protest is the latest in a long series of angry demonstrations at the ANC government's failure to deal with the demands of the vast, black underclass that supported them through the years of apartheid. "Two journalists were injured when protesters started throwing stones and bricks at the police. A protester was run over by a bakery truck and killed on the scene, while we arrested seven suspects."
Analysts warned that unless significant improvements are made to the impoverished townships soon, these protests will only become more angry and more frequent. The BBC's Peter Greste says the protest is the latest in a long series of angry demonstrations at the ANC government's failure to deal with the demands of the vast, black underclass that supported them through the years of apartheid.
South Africa has built at least 1.6m new houses and 9m people have gained access to water since the end of apartheid in 1994, but shortages remain severe. Analysts have warned that unless significant improvements are made soon to the impoverished townships, these protests will only become more angry and more frequent.
Our correspondent says it is not a political crisis yet but it is heading that way. South Africa has built at least 1.6 million new houses and 9 million people have gained access to water since the end of apartheid in 1994, but shortages remain severe.
Our correspondent says it is not yet a political crisis, but it is heading that way.