South African authorities began today to evict hundreds of squatters who had illegally occupied land.
The action ends a land invasion that had raised government fears of Zimbabwe-style lawlessness.
A team of 60 men from a private security firm carrying crow bars entered the squatters' camp near Johannesburg international airport, backed by armed police who had earlier deployed water cannon.
There was no violence as the team started to pull down the shacks.
The government won a court eviction order last Tuesday after government lawyers argued the squatters' safety on the site - until recently home only to electricity pylons and an underground oil pipeline - was at risk.
South Africa's currency, the rand, hit record lows against the dollar this week - partly on fears the land crisis in neighbouring Zimbabwe could spread to Africa's richest country.
The ruling African National Congress government has strongly condemned the land invasion near Johannesburg airport and warned it will take action to stop any such moves.
The ANC is fearful of economic repercussions from land invasions such as those in Zimbabwe, where self-styled independence war veterans have seized hundreds of white-owned farms with government assent.
Before the start of the evictions, angry squatters said they had nowhere else to go, but many had begun to move their possessions prior to their forced removal.