WATCH | Rumours of gold find spark frenzy as Springs residents dig up kraal in search of ‘treasure’

Residents of Payneville, an informal settlement in the Gugulethu section of Springs, have invaded a kraal that they believe holds gold deposits.

Armed with spades, hundreds of residents have been flocking to the kraal since last Monday after rumours about a man finding gold particles there began spreading.

Some alleged the site was a former mine dump, while others claimed it lay above an old sewer line.

The community believes the soil could contain gold deposits, which they hope could improve their economic circumstances.

A resident who asked not to be named told Sowetan the frenzy began last Monday when a community member claimed to have made a “gold discovery”, word of which quickly spread.

“A lot of people are unemployed here, so any means to make money is always welcome,” the resident said.

“On Monday, only a few people came to see if it was real. The owners allowed anyone to dig and leave with soil believed to contain gold for R20. But when more people arrived on Tuesday, the price went up to R50.”

One resident said the site used to be an old mine dump, while another claimed it was a sewer line, but Sowetan saw cattle near the area being dug up.

“rTinkomo ta hina ti humesa nsuku [Our cows have produced gold for us],” one digger joked.

Metro police have since been deployed to the area to disperse the residents.

Sowetan