The City of Ekurhuleni has reassured Brakpan residents that multi-agency operations are ongoing in an effort to tackle unrest, illegal structures and crime in the Plastic City informal settlement.

The settlement has experienced violence since August 30, when a shooting resulted in the deaths of two people. Just days later, on September 3, another violent incident occurred when an armed group launched an early morning attack on the settlement.

As previously reported, the assailants, believed to be Basotho nationals, emerged from the Weltevreden Landfill Site, opened fire indiscriminately, and set multiple shacks ablaze.

The attack forced terrified residents, including men, women, and children, to flee their homes. Tensions escalated further during the weekend of September 6 and 7, when a fire swept through the settlement.

This blaze destroyed numerous shacks, leaving many families displaced and without possessions. According to the CoE, the issue in Plastic City is that the residents are there for economic activities, mainly recycling.

“The nearest housing project that the department has that can accommodate the qualifying housing beneficiaries is Brakpan Ext 13 which is currently in implementation stage,” said CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

Brakpan Ext 13 is the housing development planned on the Brakpan Old Location site. Dlamini added that for the past six months, the Brakpan EMPD, SAPS, Home Affairs, private security companies and other role players have engaged on the ongoing illegal activities in and around Plastic City.

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He stated that various joint crime prevention operations were conducted, and successes were made which include:
• Undocumented foreign nationals were arrested and booked at Brakpan SAPS

• Illegal mining equipment was confiscated such as water pumps, spades, picks and generators and were booked at Brakpan SAPS

• Liquor outlets were closed, and the liquor was confiscated due to non-compliance

• Spaza shops were closed due to non-compliance

• Trucks that were found in contravention of by-laws, especially on issues of illegal dumping, were impounded and taken to the Brakpan pound.

“To ensure that illegal structures are not being re-erected, our Human Settlement Department working with the EMPD land invasion unit, are monitoring the situation,” said Dlamini.

“In collaboration with the EMPD, SAPS and other law enforcement agencies, for the past seven days the city is maintaining high visibility to prevent acts of crime.

“The law enforcement agencies are ensuring a safe and secure environment within the Brakpan area by establishing uncompromising security measures, limiting the probability of incidents occurring and limiting the impact through contingency planning.”

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