Kwa-Thema – Following a day of peaceful protests on June 30, seven shacks went up in flames on July 1 as tensions allegedly intensified between locals and foreign nationals in the Marikana informal settlement.

The City of Ekurhuleni’s Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesperson, William Ntladi, stated that the firefighters swiftly responded to the settlement to conduct flame suppression.

Ntladi said that Kwa-Thema and Selection Park-based firefighters responded with two fire engines, each augmented by 11 crew members, after receiving the call.

“On arrival, four shacks from one yard were still burning and the other three were from three different individual yards, also still engulfed in flames,” added the spokesperson.

He explained that members of the public prevented the crews from conducting free-fire ground operations.

According to Ntladi, it is alleged that the burnt shacks belong to the foreign nationals and the occupants were allegedly and forcefully removed from the settlement. No casualties were recorded on scene.

He noted that the situation remains tense under the watchful eyes of law enforcement agencies.

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