Govt won’t formalise 'zama zamas' - Mantashe
Minister of Mineral Resources Gwede Mantashe says his department has no plan to formalise the work of illegal miners, commonly known as zama zamas.
Illegal mining has been in the spotlight this week following the gang rape of eight women at an old mine dump in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg.
The incident led to a police crackdown targeting illegal miners on the West Rand.
On Thursday disgruntled members of the local community in Kagiso took it upon themselves to hunt down miners without permits, sealing makeshift shafts and burning houses.
Mantashe, who spoke at the handing-over ceremony of a school in Rustenburg on Friday, said anyone who is mining illegally should be arrested.
"People who do not know the difference between zama zamas and artisanal mining almost make that mistake, we will formalise artisanal mining and not zamas zamas. Anybody body who is in illegal mining is not my client, but a client of the police minister because it is a criminal activity.
"We have closed almost all the holes in the East Rand, we are now moving to the West Rand because there is a crisis. We are dealing with ownerless mines because they are posing danger to society."
More than 100 illegal miners have been arrested during the crackdown.
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