Zama Zama tragedy: Re-establish Specialised Police Unit on Illegal Mining
DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Community Safety, Michele Clarke MPL write a piece on zama zama (illegal miners).
The Democratic Alliance expresses its heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the 14 and counting deceased illegal miners.
It is indeed a tragic story of the forgotten, the marginalised and the excluded men and women who work the mines in the hope of a better tomorrow.
The brutal killing of the Zama-Zama’s on the mines in the province must be condemned.
The sluggish economic growth in the country can be seen as contributing to these deaths, illegal miners have no other opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty.
The DA’s motion last year to restore specialised units focussing on illegal mining in Gauteng was rejected by the ANC and so too was the debate in the National Council of Provinces shot down by the ANC.
Urgent intervention is needed before more lives are lost in gang rivalry on mines in the province. Communities are endangered through these battles and children are kept out of school and at home for their safety.
Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane must act now as she has a responsibility towards ensuring the safety of residents in Gauteng, especially in mining communities.
The DA once again calls for the reinstatement of a specialised unit on illegal mining within the SAPS.
