KRIEL — The heart-wrenching cries of 79-year-old Gogo Linah Skosana echoed in the air, yet she was powerless to stop marshals from forcefully evicting her on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, from the house she had called home for over 30 years.
Her belongings—clothes, food, and furniture—were thrown outside, removing her from the company-owned house where she once worked in Kriel, eMalahleni.
She watched in disbelief as marshals, flanked by heavily armed security personnel and members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), continued their task. “Where will I go? What about my grandchildren?” she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Gogo Skosana is among the former Kriel Colliery miners now on the Sheriff’s eviction list for allegedly unlawfully occupying the houses.
She recounted that she began her career at Kriel Colliery in 1979 and moved into company housing in 1994. “I moved in with my children and stayed here until retirement,” she shared. “They even promised to help our kids find schools nearby.”
She explained that she and many other pensioners had been paying for these homes. Mine workers living off company property received a housing allowance, while those in company houses did not. “This led us to believe we were buying the houses, with the understanding that they would eventually belong to us.”
The dispute surfaced in 2012 as residents approached retirement. The mine, owned by Anglo-American until its acquisition by Seriti Coal (PTY) Ltd in 2018, asked them to vacate homes they believed were rightfully theirs. Many resisted, convinced the houses had been inherited from the mine itself.
“We wanted clarity because we’ve been paying for the houses,” explained Tiro Baabua, another ex-miner.
“In 2014, we took the matter to court, but it was withdrawn. Then, in 2018, after Seriti acquired the mine from Anglo-American, the case was reopened and the process for a court-ordered eviction began.”
Tiro said when he started working at the mine in 2009, the company was deducting R4,500 from his salary, which increased to R9,000 over the years. “How can so much money be taken from people, and then they claim we don’t own the houses? There’s no clause indicating we are just renting.”
The evictions left 50 families homeless, many with children and grandchildren. They said they received no support for alternative housing. “We had to turn to neighbours and friends for a place to sleep. We don’t know where we will end up in the coming days,” said Mandla Motha, one of the evicted.
Motha, who had occupied a home once belonging to his late father, added that they received no eviction notices or court orders.
According to Seriti in a statement, the company engaged with stakeholders to manage the disposal of non-core housing assets at Kriel Colliery, which has an estimated remaining life of six to eight years. “The disposal process began with the eviction of approximately 50 houses, in terms of a Mpumalanga High Court order obtained in 2022, which was upheld by the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2024,” the company stated.
They added that discussions between Seriti and the occupants’ attorneys occurred from January 2025 until 24 November 2025, including the service of eviction notices and court orders by the Sheriff of the High Court. “The illegal occupants were engaged through their legal representatives as required by law,” added Seriti.
The residences are owned by Eskom Holdings, and through a Coal Supply Agreement and Sale and Purchase Agreement, Seriti gained authority to manage the properties via leasing arrangements with miners.
Seriti noted that the eviction and disposal processes were conducted in coordination with SAPS, the Sheriff of the High Court, eMalahleni Municipality, and other authorities. “Seriti continues to work with the municipality, Eskom, ward councillors, and community structures to ensure the process is coordinated, lawful, and socially responsible.”
They further dismissed claims that the former Kriel Colliery employees were paying toward ownership through wage deductions. “No Anglo-era wage deductions or rent-to-buy arrangements applied to these households, and no such obligations were transferred to Seriti.”
Seriti added that the municipality is responsible for finding accommodation for the evicted. “Temporary accommodation and relocation support for qualifying persons remains the responsibility of the municipality, as provided in the court order.”
Attempts to obtain further comment from eMalahleni Municipality are pending.
