A FAMILY recently discovered they had been living on top of an active mine shaft for nine years, unawares.
The homeowner, Sana Khumalo, said when her shack was built in 2017, there was no sign of a mine shaft.
Several weeks ago, a small opening appeared.
Not knowing the extent of the danger, Sana immediately sought help.
"It was by God's grace. We didn't know that we were sitting right on top of a huge hole. We don't know what could have happened had we stayed a while longer," she said.
Ekurhuleni Municipality Disaster Management relocated Sana and her family to what they deemed "safer ground".
However, this move has created new problems.
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Sana claims they've been placed beside a public walkway, causing conflict with residents who complain about blocked access.
She faces harassment, particularly from intoxicated individuals who bang on her shack demanding, "ufunani la" (what do you want here?).
Further complicating matters, Sana's shack was recently hit by a drunk driver.
Though the driver apologised and repaired the damage, neighbours constructed a barrier to prevent future incidents.
"My problems are more than what I had anticipated," said Sana.
Councillor Vuyani Mbeki advised Sana to visit their offices.
"As councillors, we no longer have powers to allocate land to anyone. If she comes either on Wednesday or Friday, I may arrange a meeting for her with the relevant department."
