Kya Sands, Johannesburg

Kya Sands Kya Sand, Dumping, Pipeline
A community painted sign, reading "Kya Sands Formal Settlement, Please RDP"
Kya Sands Show map of Gauteng Kya Sands Show map of South Africa Kya Sands Show map of Africa  Kya Sands shown within Gauteng
Location within Greater Johannesburg  Kya Sands
Coordinates: 26°01′30″S 27°57′29″E / 26.024922°S 27.958039°E / -26.024922; 27.958039Coordinates: 26°01′30″S 27°57′29″E / 26.024922°S 27.958039°E / -26.024922; 27.958039
Country	South Africa
Province	Gauteng
Municipality	City of Johannesburg
Main Place	Randburg
Government
• Type	Ward 96
• Ward Councillor	Matome Mafokwane (DA)
Area
• Total	0.156 km2 (0.060 sq mi)
Population (2009)
• Total	16,238

Kya Sands is an informal settlement located in Region A of the City of Johannesburg.

Kya Sands is bisected by the North Riding Stream (or Kya Sand Spruit according to some sources).

It is closely bordered by the Kya Sand industrial area to the west, the Bloubosrand residential suburb to the east, the Hoogland industrial area to the south (separated by the old Randburg landfill site) and mostly small holdings to the north.

The settlement occupies both private and government-owned land, lying on 6 different farm and agricultural holdings. The privately owned sections of the settlement lie on the western side of the stream. City of Johannesburg owned land includes sections immediately adjacent to the stream and the property containing the old Randburg Landfill site (Houtkoppen 193-IQ ptn. 46). Portion 51 of the same farm (Houtkoppen I93-IQ), on which a large portion of the settlement lies, is owned by South African National Government and administered by the Gauteng Provincial Government.

Kya Sands gets its name from the adjacent industrial area, Kya Sand. Other popular names for the settlement include Dumping and Kya Centre. The settlement is also referred to as Kya Sand, Phomolong and Kya Junction by some residents.

Kya Sands is made up of a number of sections. The settlement is broken down firstly into Sections A to D. These are defined by government and are used in counting and numbering houses and toilets in the settlement.

Other sections include Pipeline, the whole section of the settlement east of the river, and Madala Side, the northern part of Pipeline.

While the exact year of the settlement's formation is disputed, indications are that it started in the early 1990s. Informal houses were initially set up in the area by subcontractors working at the adjacent (now closed) Randburg Landfill site and the Kya Sand and Hoogland industrial areas.

In the May 2008 xenophobic riots in South Africa, violence against foreign nationals was reported in Kya Sands, with police deployed to the area to try and curb attacks.

As homes in the settlement are so close together, built from reused materials such as wood and plastic, and that most heating, lighting and cooking is done using open flames, fire poses a significant threat to the residents of Kya Sands.