A successful six-hour operation led by City of Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements, Councillor Mlungisi Mabaso at the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, Johannesburg, has resulted in the demolition of illegal structures, the arrest of zama zamas (illegal miners), and the confiscation of mining equipment and live ammunition.
On Thursday, 16 July 2026, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), alongside contractors and human settlements workers, demolished at least 70 illegal structures. The crackdown follows a June 9 mass shooting at the settlement that claimed 13 lives, after which zama zamas routinely intimidated and issued death threats to municipal workers. These threats severely stalled critical reblocking and electrification projects meant to benefit local residents.
During the raid, heavy processing equipment drilled into the ground was dismantled and removed. This has cleared the necessary space for service delivery trucks and infrastructure development to proceed.
MMC Mabaso hailed the operation as a major victory for both the department and the community. “Our electrification project was moving slowly because workers could not safely gain access,” Mabaso said. “We have now demolished the structures standing in the way of this development. While we anticipate continued intimidation, we will return regularly until we get it right.”
Mabaso expressed gratitude to the dedicated workers, the community liaison officer, and JMPD Chief of Police Patrick Jaca for providing the necessary manpower and resources to ensure the operation’s success. The City’s reblocking and electrification efforts will now proceed as planned.
SUPPLIED.
