Illegal mining pentalogy: Children mine for illegal gold (Part 4)
Schoolboys between the ages of 13 and 14 are playing truant from a local school in Barberton to work for the zama zamas.
Illegal mining pentalogy: Zama zamas’ bodies dumped on road (Part 1)
Illegal Mining pentalogy: Town in clutches of criminals (Part 2)
Illegal mining pentalogy: Undercover agent reveals security horror (Part 3)
BARBERTON – According to a reliable intelligence source, working for the illegal miners for pocket money is a popular adventure for the children.
The main reasons the illegal miners make use of the schoolboys are:
• They are small and can crawl easily through narrow areas in the shafts
• They eat less and are thus cheaper labour
• They work longer hours for less money.
Mr Coenie Lock, group security manager of Pan African Resources confirmed that they do, “from time to time”, come across instances where schoolboys are being used by the zama zamas.
Lowvelder approached the headmaster of the local school for comment, but he referred all enquiries to the Department of Education. Lowvelder has decided not to name the school at this stage.
Illegal mining pentalogy: Crime syndicates run wild (Part 5)
