Mogale City mayor calls for inquiry into illegal mining
Mogale
City mayor Tyrone Gray has called for the establishment of a commission of
inquiry into illegal mining on the West Rand.
Gray was speaking during a police imbizo alongside Police Minister Bheki Cele and Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in West Village on Saturday.
Cele and Motsoaledi were in West Village following a week of protests on the back of the gang rapes of eight women at an abandoned mine.
Gray believes the commission of inquiry will be able to flush out the masterminds behind the syndicates operating the illegal mines.
“We are calling for the commission of enquiry because of what happened in the recent event, taking off the zama zamas is only chasing the tail of the snake what we should go for is the head.
“We know that in the industry of illicit mining is incredibly syndicated; this is why a whole society approach is needed and this is why I would like to see a commission of enquiry so we can understand the value chain of the profits being made.”
Mining analyst from Bench-Marks Foundation, David Van Wyk, says government’s strategy to eradicate illegal mining is not progressive enough.
“You can arrest all 34,000 small-scale miners in Johannesburg, and you won’t solve the problem because you are not dealing with the market and supply chain.
“The government doesn’t go after the people who make profit but go after the guys peddling the stuff and they are just a small fraction.”
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