Herman Mashaba Urges Ramaphosa to Act As Zama Zama Violence Drives Families From Their Homes

• ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba calls for President Ramaphosa's intervention after violent zama zama attacks in Randfontein
• Hundreds of families flee the Sporong informal settlement due to armed attacks and are enduring harsh living conditions at Randgate Community Hall
• Public outrage grows over Ramaphosa's perceived inaction against illegal mining and community safety threats

GAUTENG- ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently intervene after violent attacks by suspected zama zamas forced hundreds of families from their homes in Randfontein.

Mashaba sub-tweeted the President on 21 January 2026, saying 'your subjects are crying for your intervention,' referring to the dire situation at the Sporong informal settlement where illegal mining syndicates are accused of terrorising the community.

Families flee from Zama Zama attacks

According to reports, about 300 families from Sporong fled their homes around 7 January 2026 after weeks of violent attacks. Residents say armed men broke into their shacks at night, demanding money and valuables and threatening to kill those who refused to pay. One resident, Esther Mhlongo, said she was beaten during a home invasion.

Read also

McBride questions General Mkhwanazi's credibility at Ad Hoc Committee

“They come at night. They kick down doors and take what they want,” she said.

The displaced families are now staying at Randgate Community Hall, where conditions are harsh. The hall is overcrowded, there is no privacy, and sanitation is poor, raising fears of disease outbreaks.

Mashaba's post on X sparked strong comments from South Africans.

The public commented on social media

@RamafaloMoses said:

"His real subjects are those zama zamas who are terrorising communities. If the communities were defending themselves against them, he would have called in the soldiers. Ramaphosa is the least caring president in the history of SA ."

@samvusimasango commented:

'Cyril Ramaphosa would have done everything if it were the Palestinians. He loves them so much that he took the country to court, but for South Africans, he is too busy."

@LiwellsonM stated:

"Cyril Ramaphosa would rather deploy soldiers to confiscate cooking oil, KOO beans that were looted during the July 2021 riots in KZN & GP. Deploy soldiers to enforce lockdown during COVID-19, rather than to deploy soldiers against illegal and violent zama zamas."

Read also

Gogo Maweni’s court cases spotlighted In Parliament, Mzansi on the fence

@Rabbamen said:

"He will never respond, maybe if it were Venezuela, Palestine, Iran or any other country but not the one that voted for him. Very sad."

@Dedeza27 remarked:

"He doesn't care, bothered one bit."

What is a Zama zama?

Zama zamas” are illegal artisanal miners in South Africa who enter abandoned or closed mines to dig for leftover minerals like gold, a risky practice driven by poverty and high unemployment after formal mining declined. The name comes from a Zulu phrase meaning “take a chance,” and many zama zamas operate under the control of organised crime syndicates, often working underground with little safety and facing violence and danger. Their work is unregulated, linked to criminal networks, and has become a major challenge for authorities trying to curb illegal mining and protect communities.

2 Briefly News articles on Zama Zamas

Previously, Briefly News reported that South Africans were shocked after the South African Police Service arrested a police sergeant in Barberton, Mpumalanga, accused of being involved in illegal mining alongside four other suspects. During the operation, officers found mining equipment in the vehicle being searched, and the sergeant was charged with possessing implements linked to illegal mining activities. Public reaction reflected frustration with crime and concerns about law enforcement integrity as the case proceeded to court.

Read also

Durban metro police demolish shacks after safety concerns spark community outcry

In other news, police in Bapong arrested three men suspected of being zama zamas and found large amounts of chrome at the scene. The arrests caused tensions to rise in the community as residents reacted strongly to the illegal mining activity. People in Bapong are concerned about safety and want more action against illegal mining in their area.

Source: Briefly News