In today’s edition we report on sinkholes that have opened up around Gauteng, leaving residents fearing for their lives.
Illegal mining has been named as one of the contributors to the formation of about 200 sinkholes across the province.
The Council for Geoscience said illegal mining was contributing to the creation of sinkholes because it was unregulated.
Manager of engineering geology and geohazards at the Council for Geoscience, Willem Meintjes, told this newspaper that mining left tunnels running underground and some were close to the surface.
“Because of the illegal mining activity, those channels are being used. The illegal miners literary go to mine underneath people’s houses and that causes damage to the surface. If the old mine channels stayed as they were and there were not new mining activities, you probably would have not seen as many as you see of these collapses,” Meintjes said.
We have reported several times on “zama zamas”, as illegal miners are known, activities of lawlessness as rival groups kill each other over mining spots in different communities.
Police make arrests but illegal activities continue, leaving communities vulnerable and living in fear of the gangs operating near their homes.
Just over a week ago, four bodies suspected to be of zama zamas were found wrapped in blankets on the side of a road in Benoni. One illegal miner was killed and 11 arrested following a shootout with police in Boksburg in February.
This is a serious problem facing our communities which not only contributes to crime but is affecting the environment, poses a health hazard to residents and also affects the infrastructure.
It can no longer be left for police alone to deal with. Yes, police need to beef up security and secure old shafts to stop the illegal mining activities but more government departments need to get involved.
First, we are calling on the home affairs department to get involved as in the past the majority of zama zamas arrested were illegal immigrants. The mineral resources and environment departments are also needed.
Clearly, police are not winning the fight against illegal mining. The only way to contain this would be through collaboration work between them and the departments.
We have had enough of zama zamas’ illegal activities. It is time for our government to dedicate more resources to curbing lawlessness. Enough is enough, the activities are risking our homes and roads.
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