The National Union of Mineworkers Num has accused the government of failing to put an end to illegal mining. The union was reacting to a continuing stand-off between the police and illegal miners underground in an abandoned mine in Stilfontein, in the North West province.
Hundreds of zama-zamas are reportedly refusing to come to the surface from a number of shafts at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine, despite some reportedly dying due to lack of food and water.
Num National Spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu has accused the government of complicity in illegal mining.
The government is now acting, when illegal mining has been happening for years. Ill give you an example now of something that is happening in Burgersfort. Weve got Chinese illegal gangs that are mining chrome illegally in South Africa, and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the law enforcement agencies are aware of Chinese gangs that are looting and stealing chrome in Burgersfort, and transporting it through the Mozambican border.
He has called on the law enforcement to deal with the illegal mining that is happening elsewhere and not just in Stilfontein.
