Government needs to get a grip as it surrenders ground to illegal mining gangs

20 March 2022

Government authorities have lost control over at least two mining settlements in Gauteng. Residents living nearby the Zamimpilo settlement in Riverlea and in the area between Snake Road and Golden Drive in Benoni are being terrorized by killings, shootings and explosions daily. Both areas are the scene of extensive illegal gold mining operations.

Residents say both areas are like war zones, with up to ten major explosions in Benoni every night. On Monday, adjacent to Zamimpilo, warring gang members shot and killed a man right next to Main Reef Road at 10.30 in the morning. Zamimpilo experiences fusillades of shots at night that continue for hours on end. That’s thought to be by gangs struggling for control of the illegal mines. Both areas are honeycombed by illegally dug shafts.

In both cases, police appear to have given up and seem unwilling or unable to take any action, despite the shooting and explosions.

Illegal mining has been a problem for years. Estimates of its cost to the economy range from the Minerals Council’s R7 billion to the estimate of R20 billion by a major mining company. Over a period of years the DA has called for, and repeats those calls now for:

Legislative changes to properly criminalise illegal mining.

A police unit properly trained and capacitated to understand mining law and with the firepower and will to tackle heavily armed gangs.

Neither suggestion has been acted on by government. That has led to widespread speculation that senior political figures are profiting from illegal mining. It’s also led to the current situation where the government’s writ no longer extends to mining settlements.

If the government is not prepared to enforce the law, it should not be surprised when increasing numbers of people disobey it.

Meanwhile South African citizens affected by the lawlessness live in fear as the police fail utterly in their duty to keep South Africans safe.

The government needs to get a grip.

Issued by James Lorimer, DA Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources, 20 March 2022