The new informal settlement called Mountain View in our area next to the mine tailing dump

Kefilwe Sebogodi

The mountain view is the new place established in the year 2023 early May. The place called
Mountainview is next to the tailing mine dump between Snakepark and Braamfisher. It was
established by residents who don’t have a place to stay and are tired of paying rent, also the
family houses. At the time it started there was a group of males and females who were the
committee chosen by community members. All committee members were seven (7)which is 4
males and 3 females. The Mountainview area is built in ERF237 and 175 which used to be on an
open field used by white people to plant on it. There are no ablution facilities, electricity and
water.

On the 10th of May, it was the time they cut the stand for free for residents of Mountainview. Ms.
Keya went to ask how to get a place to stay, she found Mr Michael and then explained to her
that she must bring a copy of her identity, shack, and other things like a bed, stove, blankets,
etc. I asked Mr. Leslie about the area and if it’s not a scam as they know residents/community
are looking for a place to stay. His response was they are fighting with DRD to get a place for
free and also they have a court order. The place belongs to the mining company and is too
dusty, as the is no water and Pan African cut the windbreakers at the tailings and also put a
signpost.

After two full months on 22 August 2023, while people relaxed and stayed there at
Mountainview, the mining security company came to demolish the shacks while people were
staying at the place. Others went to work and there was no one inside the shacks, they
demolished them and took those zinc/zozos. And they don’t care about the belongings inside
like pots, beds, buckets of water, etc. They told me as I was asking mr Venter the Head of
Securities (HOS) that the place is dangerous as is for the mining company and they don’t need
the community to stay which is why Braamfisher is 400 meters away from the tailings dump
side. He told me that as he’s working for the company, he goes for a check-up every month,
what about residents who stay at Mountainview with children? It is too dangerous for them.
They can have TB, Asthma, Eczema, and other illnesses caused by dust.

The time I interviewed Mr. Venter about the eviction of the shacks, his workers were black ants
who were busy demolishing shacks with different tools, breaking windows and doors. They were
making sure that residents didn’t leave with building structures, it was so painful to see people
suffering like that. When I asked them “Why you are doing that to black people like you,” they
told me that they were getting paid to demolish shacks so they could survive as they were not
working, and after demolition, they took corrugated iron sheets inside the big trucks to take it to
the scrapyard and received the money.

All these things like informal settlements are caused by unemployment. People don’t have a
place to stay. The housing departments and mining companies must engage with the
communities to intervene and get solutions to this kind of situation of informal settlements.