Residents of Sporong informal settlement in Randfontein who fled their homes after being terrorised by illegal miners have returned, with a heavy police presence now guarding the area.
The residents who had been living at a community hall moved back from Friday to Saturday.
One of the residents, Elsie Mokobane, said police visibility in the area was high, with a mobile police station and two Nyala vehicles deployed.
“The officers are patrolling the area day and night. There are several police vans here and a minibus full of Amapanyaza,” she said.
Mokobane said officials from the department of human settlements were expected to visit the area from Monday to ensure the residents were registered for housing subsidies.
“We feel safe, although we are still traumatised by what happened,” she said.
The residents’ return follows Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi’s visit to the area last week, during which he assured them of a sustained police presence. Lesufi also promised the deployment of a special unit to deal with illegal mining activities.
Lesufi also told residents that those who had already been approved for housing subsidies would be allocated houses and informed when to move, while those who had not yet registered would be allowed to do so.
He said the government had identified temporary land for those who did not want to move to Sporong.
For Makoetlane Sello, his wish is to be moved directly into a permanent home rather than be relocated to a temporary site.
“We hope what they have promised in terms of allocating us homes will happen,” he said.
Gauteng government spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said he was at the community hall on Saturday to observe the departure of residents who had been sheltering there.
“The government engaged the residents and agreed that all of them would return to their homes while the department of human settlements processes housing applications, especially for those who had already applied. Others were assisted to apply for housing, provided they met the requirements,” Mhlanga said.
He added that the police Nyalas would remain stationed at the informal settlement on a 24-hour basis, with police expected to confirm how long they would stay in the area.
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