MEDIA STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
Date: 3/08/2023
ALL MEDIA
Attention: Editors, News Editors, Political Editors, Political Reporters
IIllegal mining activities ravage municipal infrastructure
Mogale City Local Municipality notes with concern the damage visited on municipal infrastructure by activities of illegal mining groups colloquially known as ‘zama-zamas.’
After numerous law enforcement campaigns that included community protests and direct challenge of the scourge as seen in the middle of the year 2022; the various provincial crime prevention operations dubbed “O Kae Molao” in the city that resulted in the arrest of several illegal miners and illegal immigrants, the ‘zama-zamas’ seem undeterred and continue to damage municipal infrastructure – especially road infrastructure.
Despite frictions that have ensued over a new operation which have resulted in litigation, and which are being resolved mutually by the parties, the Executive Mayor welcomed the R2,5 billion investment by the mining company Pan Africa Resources (PAR) which is aimed at rehabilitating the mining tailings in the city, which in the long run will put paid to brazen zama-zama activities around the city. The Executive Mayor has charged the Municipal Manager to lead a process that mediates the legitimate demands of the residents of Mogale City as a beneficiary community, with the legitimate business rights of the company in a manner that will avoid instability in the city. So far, two meetings have been held which have set the parties (viz. the municipality, the mining company, and the community) on a path to resolution of the impasse. A Project Steering Committee consisting of the MCLM, PAR and Mogale Community Reps is being established to provide coordination and strategic oversight on the project. The parties are under no illusion that this will be an easy matter to resolve but are determined to do so. The outcomes of these meetings will be made public soon.
“We call on the Minister of Police and Gauteng MEC for Community Safety as well as the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy to collaborate and act speedily to combat this scourge that is growing rampantly by the day,” said Danny Thupane, the Executive Mayor of Mogale City. “Our public safety team can only do so much. Their competency is traffic policing, guarding municipal assets and enforcement of municipal by-laws.”
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Issued by the Office of the Executive Mayor
All enquiries to be directed to Nkosana Zali, Spokesperson of the Executive Mayor at 0116680533 or 0834332908 and nkosana.zali@mogalecity.gov.za