What permanent solution is there to address the ugly scourge of the zama zama phenomenon, which remains a great source of concern to communities affected by its often-violent nature?
The irony of it all is that despite its ugly underpinnings, it is seen by proponents as a source of income and a means to survive grinding poverty.
But despite the slivers of goodness attached to it, the practice is riddled with violent tendencies, such as turf wars, which often result in serious collateral damage to communities, including serious injuries and deaths.
The practice, as in all illegal adventures, has created rivalries, spread across the country, between rival operatives who often engage in shooting expeditions, too often claiming innocent lives.
Not so long ago, the police reported that at least 20 alleged illegal miners located in the informal settlement of Zamimpilo, near Riverlea, west of Johannesburg, were at each other’s throats. This skirmish resulted in 20 deaths.
The people of Riverlea live in fear. The communities of various communities in other parts of the country, live in fear. They all fear the violence and mayhem associated with zama zama operations.
This is untenable.
The violence often involves illegal foreign nationals destabilising the already strained relations between locals and foreign nationals. The locals complain they are not protected by law enforcement from elements of violence and mayhem, and that foreign nationals are allowed to do as they please in this country.
The step, therefore, taken by President Cyril Ramaphosa, to deploy soldiers to deal decisively with illegal mining operations, must be welcomed as a right step in the right direction.
The notion that anyone and everyone can do as they please in our democracy, must be debunked.
Which brings us to another important point: the government must put pressure on mining bosses to help rehabilitate disused mines that have reached the end of their productive lifespan, seal them to ensure they do not give life to illicit mining operations.
Mining houses owe it to communities to act in a manner that dissuades criminal operations, even if they have to invest millions of rands to protect communities from harm.
