Heavy police presence in Kagiso amid community crackdown on zama zamas
Police officers remain on the ground in Kagiso after community members embarked on their own crackdown on illegal miners.
Groups of people, armed with hammers and machetes, dismantled and torched homes - and sealed disused mineshafts - as they sought to drive out zama zamas from the area, west of Johannesburg.
Public anger boiled over after the mass rape of eight women in Kurgersdorp last week.
Police have since arrested dozens of people linked to illegal mining activities on charges of contravening the Immigration Act.
They're yet to link the suspects to the assaults.
Residents, frustrated with the high levels of crime in the area, took to the streets this week.
"Going forward we have put an operational plan in terms of the execution," said Gauteng Deputy Provincial Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni.
ALSO READ:
"Sometimes these typical types of questions, to tell the media where are we going to operate, is a little bit difficult.
"We will end up unveiling sensitive information of which we have to operate on. We will be here today and tomorrow."
