Unleash the army on zama zamas

Nowhere is the spectre of South Africa’s descent into anarchy more evident than in the mushrooming alternative society of zama zamas – those who illegally extract gold from disused mines and dumps.

On Saturday night, according to residents of Riverlea in Johannesburg, the cops “scurried away” as scores of zama zamas opened fire on each other.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Riverlea residents want army to be deployed to ‘warzone’

There were at least five bodies left when the firing died down. Residents of Riverlea have had enough – and they took to the streets yesterday, burning tyres and putting up blockades on main arterial routes.

As if to confirm SA is lawless, cops again looked on and did nothing. People are increasingly starting to take the law into their own hands because law and order has all but collapsed in many parts of our country.

WATCH: ‘There was nothing police could do’- Riverlea resident details the night zama zamas came guns blazing

But these zama zamas have been allowed to thrive and are, consequently, well-armed and unafraid of our timid police force. It seems as though a bloodbath involving innocent communities is only a matter of time. This is a case, we suggest, for deploying the army.

Normally, soldiers are not the solution for a country’s internal problems. But these zama zamas are a threat to national security and should be dealt with accordingly.