Kagiso based community organisation Choko Five Movement says illegal mining in the area, is bigger than just the zama zamas.
On Thursday, shacks belonging to illegal miners were demolished and their mine holes were closed by locals on Gauteng’s West Rand.
Locals also went with police into one of the mines and helped arrest 23 people believed to be illegal immigrants.
Police are maintaining a strong presence in the area.
Choko Five Movement executive chairperson, Karabo Mosetlhi says, “The real zama zamas that we’re speaking about is this big companies that are refining this gold. So, what they would do is, they would take their big machineries, and go on site with their excavators and then stockpile raw material where you will find the zama zamas that you saw on TV.”
“They’ll only be given a scoop, for them to take care of the stock that is piled by these companies. So the real zama zamas are these big corporates. We need to be dealing with these private companies,” adds Mosetlhi.
Below is the full interview with Karabo Mosetlhi:
Kagiso mayor reacts
Mogale City Mayor, Tyrone Gray says some of the foreign nationals who are living in Kagiso legally are not zama zamas.
The mayor has appealed to locals not to target people just because they are foreign nationals and suspected to be zama zama’s operating illegally at abandoned mines in the area
He says they have managed to calm the situation in Kagiso.
Many of the illegal miners are believed to be foreign nationals who are in the country unlawfully.
The protests in Kagiso follow suspected zama zamas’ gang-rape of eight young women in Krugersdorp.
Gray says they were able to save one person who was severely beaten in Kagiso.
Video: Kagiso Shutdown | Mogale City Mayor Tyrone Gray encourages peaceful protests
