A high-powered law enforcement team will visit Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg, on Saturday. National Police Commissioner General Fanie Masemola will lead the team of officials to engage communities that live in the epicentre of illegal mining in Gauteng.
The move is an effort to address illicit mining and crimes that illegal operations generate.
A Crime Combating Imbizo with residents will be held in Kagiso on Sunday. This follows residents’ violent protests against illegal miners, known as ‘zama-zamas’, after the gang rape of eight young women at the Krugersdorp mine dump last Thursday.
The alleged perpetrators are believed to be illegal miners operating in the area.
Police Ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba says, “The gang rape that has shocked the country has cast a spotlight on illicit mining as a crime generator in mining areas such as Kagiso, also in the West Rand. This community of Kagiso will this weekend also have the ear of the Police Ministry and SAPS management, during the second installation of the Crime Combating Imbizo on Sunday. This Crime Combating Izimbizos seek to provide residents with a platform, to discuss and engage the SAPS on identified crimes afflicting the community.”
Zama zamas’ operations demolished in Bekkersdal:
[THIS WEEKEND] All roads lead to the #WestRand as #PoliceMinistry leads a #WestRand Imbizo with residents of #Krugersdorp and Kagiso. These community meetings will interrogate issues of #ZamaZamas and crime. Min of @HomeAffairsSA Dr Motsoaledi & @DMRE_ZA will also be there. pic.twitter.com/CKmbYHDVkH
— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) August 6, 2022
