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| Violent protests over SA housing | Violent protests over SA housing |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| One person has been killed during angry clashes between police and protesters in the South African township of Soweto, police say. | One person has been killed during angry clashes between police and protesters in the South African township of Soweto, police say. |
| The man was run over by a bakery van during the protests, in which police fired rubber bullets and water cannon, and demonstrators threw stones. | The man was run over by a bakery van during the protests, in which police fired rubber bullets and water cannon, and demonstrators threw stones. |
| The protesters are angry at what they see as the government's failure to improve living conditions. | The protesters are angry at what they see as the government's failure to improve living conditions. |
| A BBC correspondent says these are the latest in a series of violent clashes. | A BBC correspondent says these are the latest in a series of violent clashes. |
| One community leader told the BBC that local residents still had no water, no electricity and no sewage provision. | One community leader told the BBC that local residents still had no water, no electricity and no sewage provision. |
| "We still go [to the toilet] in the bushes," he said. | "We still go [to the toilet] in the bushes," he said. |
| Arrests | Arrests |
| Scores of protesters in Protea South, a sprawling shanty town of tin shacks and lean-tos outside Johannesburg, chanted "More homes" and "We want water". | Scores of protesters in Protea South, a sprawling shanty town of tin shacks and lean-tos outside Johannesburg, chanted "More homes" and "We want water". |
| They complained that more than a decade after the fall of apartheid and the promise of prosperity, they still live in desperate poverty. | They complained that more than a decade after the fall of apartheid and the promise of prosperity, they still live in desperate poverty. |
| Hundreds of protesters also blockaded the N12 highway south of Soweto with large rocks and burning barricades. | |
| Soweto was the cradle of resistance to apartheid | Soweto was the cradle of resistance to apartheid |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "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." | "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." |
| Better place | Better place |
| The BBC's Peter Greste in Johannesburg 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. | The BBC's Peter Greste in Johannesburg 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. |
| Analysts have warned that unless significant improvements are made soon to the impoverished townships, these protests will only become more angry and more frequent. | 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 yet a political crisis, but it is heading that way. | Our correspondent says it is not yet a political crisis, but it is heading that way. |
| The government says it is in a process of moving the Protea South residents to a better place where they will be provided with houses. | The government says it is in a process of moving the Protea South residents to a better place where they will be provided with houses. |
| 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. | 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. |