Some Riverlea community members call for closure of Zamimpilo informal settlement

JOHANNESBURG - Some community members living in Riverlea are calling for the immediate demolition of the nearby Zamimpilo informal settlement, saying it's notorious for illegal mining and gang wars.

This comes after a man was shot and killed in the area on Tuesday, after getting caught in a crossfire between police and a suspicious vehicle with three occupants inside.

A routine police patrol turned volatile when a Toyota bakkie, which officers attempted to stop, fled into the informal settlement, resulting in a shootout.

READ: Daughter of Riverlea man who died in a crossfire says he was on his way from work

On Wednesday, angry community members demanded closure of the informal settlement, saying it was a hub for criminal activity.

"Close this place, make something so the camp doesn't grow. It's a danger to us, the people in the community, guys you know what, I want to say it loud and clear, if these cops leave here now, stay because five minutes after the cops are gone, the zama zamas are back," a community member told Eyewitness News.