LETTER: Illegal miners thrive while citizens suffer
Resident and well-known author writes a letter about the growing zama zama crisis, alleged political inaction and the impact on communities across the West Rand.
• Thabile Mange writes:
Our democratic government is failing to protect citizens from the so-called zama zamas (illegal miners). Not that the government lacks capacity, there is just no political will to do so. There is also a strong suspicion that some political leaders are benefiting from the illegal miners. Will this ever end?
Most zama zamas are here illegally. In addition, they don’t respect our country and the rule of law. They do as they please and treat natives as if they are foreigners in their own country. This is totally unacceptable, to say the least.
During the height of apartheid, anti-apartheid activists fled to exile in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania, just to mention three. While there, they respected the laws of those countries. We’ve also never heard of reports that South Africans who were in exile turned against the natives of their host countries.
That said, when the big mining companies stopped mining in SA, they left the mines unrehabilitated. Then zama zamas saw an opportunity to mine in those areas and took advantage of it. They have been doing this for over eight years now. And the government is not doing much to stop them. Why? Because it does not affect our leaders.
In Kagiso, zama zamas are mining near an old mine. Not only that, but they also terrorise the community, attack families and rob them of their valuable belongings. They also force spaza shop owners to pay a protection fee. Those who resist are driven away from their businesses, and they take over.
In certain parts of the West Rand region, zama zamas hijack houses and discreetly mine from them. In one house, they held a family hostage while they were busy mining there. Somehow, a neighbour noticed what was happening and alerted the police. That’s how they were apprehended. The affected family was left to fix their house.
In Carletonville, zama zamas reside in an old and unused school. Recently, they forcefully drove a community of 600 people away and took their houses. The Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, visited the displaced residents in Randfontein. But, interestingly, zama zamas are still staying in those hijacked houses without a worry.
South Africa has become a laughing stock because of our inept government. Zama zamas have taken over areas next to the unrehabilitated mines. It’s a pity that the government cannot be charged for failing to perform its duty. In the next national elections, we must vote for a political party that will defend us as citizens.
