An hour west of Johannesburg, the informal settlement of Sporong has become a territory of fear. Once peaceful, this small community in the mining town of Randfontein is now targeted by "zama zama," illegal miners willing to do anything to unearth the last glimmers of gold from abandoned mines.

A daily life punctuated by violence

For the residents, life changed drastically last November. Caroline, her face etched with worry, describes a climate of constant siege. Attacks are no longer exceptions, but a systematic method of intimidation.

1. Theft and extortion: Masked men break into homes to steal money, material goods and identity documents.
2. Psychological threats: "If you have nothing, they threaten to go after your children," confides Caroline.
3. Physical violence: Beatings and unprovoked shootings have become commonplace, spoiling even the end-of-year holidays.

Gold at the price of blood

Sporong's subsoil is rich, and that's the misfortune of its residents. Located in the immediate vicinity of old mines, the neighborhood hinders the activities of gold miners.

"They want to drive us out to get easier access to the gold. So they shoot at us," explains Jullian, a resident.

While some miners seek only a meager living, others are the armed wing of organized criminal networks . In front of a tavern with still-shattered windows, Jullian points to the spot where two people lost their lives, cut down by random gunfire.

A neglected community

Faced with this surge in violence, the residents of Sporong feel abandoned. Thembela, one of the pioneers of the neighborhood created ten years ago, no longer recognizes his home: "We were managing, we lived in peace despite the isolation. Today, we are traumatized."

After attempting to take refuge in a municipal gymnasium, the community was forced to return to the danger zone. While a mobile police station was recently set up to quell local anger, distrust of the authorities remains deep in a country with more than 6,000 abandoned landmines , each a tinderbox ready to ignite.