"The street children were arriving back (from the beach) only to find their possessions taken, burned and the police being extremely threatening towards them. One of the policemen had a huge sjambok (whip) and one of the children was allegedly kicked by another (metro-police officer).
"I just happened to be looking out of my window from my apartment, so I ran down to where the children were and attempted to challenge the police about their actions. They were extremely abusive to the children and myself and threatened to arrest me several times if I didn’t move on. The children's possessions were all taken and burned. They now have no change of clothes and blankets and the winter nights are getting really cold’.
"My wife was documenting the events with her camera cellphone from the flat, and filmed the burning of the children's clothes and other belongings by the police officials.
"Since we arrived in KwaZulu-Natal I have chatted to those particular street kids on a number of occasions, so I tried to intervene and request that the police extinguish the fire. The three police officials were extremely menacing, and threatened me with imprisonment.
"'These kids are the main cause of crime and drugs in this area,' one of them bellowed," Walker told the Daily News in Durban.
He said that over the past year their South African partner organisation, Umthombo Street Children, had developed developed constructive relationships with the South African Police (SAPS) and the municipality's health department.
'They are committed to working with Umthombo and other partners to developing an understanding of the issue the children face on the street.
"However, this is not the same story when it comes to Durban’s metro-police where children’s rights continue to be abused and ignored,' he writes on his website.
