Illegal Mining: Gwede Mantashe Reveals It Will Take 17 Years to Close Abandoned Mine Shafts

• Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, says that closing all the abandoned mineshafts in South Africa is an enormous feat that will take many years to accomplish
• While addressing the National Council of Provinces, Mantashe said that Mintek has closed 135 mines in the past three years, but it will take 17 years for them to close them all
• He says that illegal mining is a form of economic sabotage and a specialised unit needs to be established for the nation to address it effectively

GAUTENG – Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe says that it will take 17 years for the government to close all open mine shafts.

Mantashe made the statements in front of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday, 11 August.

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Police Minister Bheki Cele and Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi also attended the parliamentary briefing. The trio were called to address the NCOP on how their departments planned on addressing the menace of illegal mining, Sowetan LIVE reported.

Mantashe said that the DMRE has allocated a budget of R140 million to close abandoned mines. Mintek, a DMRE company, is responsible for closing open holes and has closed 135 shafts in the past three years, 52 of which were in the West Rand.

Mantashe told the NCOP that illegal mining is a form of economic sabotage that ravages the nation’s economy. A specialised unit must be established to tackle the issue properly.

Tensions are rising as communities grow impatient for solutions to illegal mining.

There has been increased pressure for authorities to address illegal mining in the wake of the gang rape of eight women at a Krugersdorp abandoned mine dump last month.

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Since the horrific incident, South Africans have taken justice into their own hands and have demanded that authorities deal with the issue of zama zamas in Gauteng.

Earlier this week, Mothakeng residents took to the streets in protest of illegal mining, searching for illegal miners.

Some strides have been made as Gauteng police have arrested 32 undocumented immigrants and closed an illegal mine during a raid in Mohlakeng Randfontein, EWN reported.

Gauteng police spokesperson Brenda Muridile made a statement about the raid, saying:

"The local municipality managed to close one of the illegal mining sites in the area. Members conducting operations in the precinct have so far arrested 32 people, 28 of which were undocumented persons while one was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition and three were arrested for the contravention of the Precious Metals Act."

Mantashe commented that Illegal mining happens in almost all South African provinces. According to the energy minister, there was an incident in Orkney, Northwest, where 95 illegal miners were trapped underground. Five zama zamas died in the incident, but Mantashe claims there was little to no fuss about that incident.

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South Africans react to Mantashe's timeline

Some South Africans are impatient to have the mines closed while others think closing the mines would be a mistake:

Here are some comments:

@Marissavstr commented:

"The ANC has been in power since 1994. If you started then to do the right things including the old mines, instead of allowing illegal imigrants to flood to SA you would not have this problem taking another 17 years to resolve."

@Gilliespy2 said:

"It doesn't matter how long ot takes,as long as it's closed, they should do so and stop giving us excuses"

@DonnyM23711427

"Those mines still have potential, if not there wouldn't be zama-zamas. He was a mine union mogul, his former union is million of rands rich. Why can't they invest their wealth in reopening of those mines thereby creating employment which they claim to be fighting against."

Minister Bheki Cele vows to tackle illegal mining in Kagiso: “we must be strong enough to ensure peace”

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In a related story, Briefly News reported Police Minister Bheki Cele told angry Kagiso residents that he vows to irradicate illegal mining in the area. He was speaking at an imbizo on Sunday, 7 August, when he made the remarks.

Residents called on the minister to end illegal mining and “zama zamas” in the community. Cele said police must be strong enough to ensure peace in the area. He said he understood the community’s frustrations and the police would respond, News24 reported.

The police minister added that special forces would be introduced to arrest illegal miners. Irate community members believe that police are failing and call on authorities to do more to put an end to gender-based violence and crime, according to EWN.

Source: Briefly News