COSATU released a statement about the role government plays in illegal mines and activities in the country. Photo: Andrey K and Dona Lemoine-Acierno / Flickr
COSATU believes Govt has failed in dealing with illegal mining in SA
COSATU believes that Government is complicit in the current state of mines and illegal activities that are taking place in the country.
COSATU released a statement about the role government plays in illegal mines and activities in the country. Photo: Andrey K and Dona Lemoine-Acierno / Flickr
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) believes that the Government is complicit in the current state of mines once companies have abandoned activities.
Trade union raises concerns about unsealed mines and Government
The trade union federation said that the Government has not compelled companies to rehabilitate their mines at the end of the mine’s life – leaving many mines unrehabilitated and unsealed.
National spokesperson for COSATU Sizwe Pamla stated that the government programmes in charge of regulating and managing the closure of mines have been a ‘spectacular failure’.
“Many mines are being recklessly abandoned, with mine shafts left open, resulting in illegal mining and the development of acid mine water. Our government needs to do more to monitor the implementation of the current financial assurance policies that are meant to help with the rehabilitation of closed mines,”
said Pamla.
Pamla says SA risks becoming a failed state
Speaking more on the topic, Pamla reiterated calls for the relevant Government departments to work together to resolve the aforementioned problems.
“South Africa risks becoming a failed state if criminal syndicates are allowed to takeover sectors of the economy using violence and intimidation,”
said Pamla.
Pamla was speaking about COSATU’s concerns over the criminal conduct by illegal miners as well as the state of security in many areas in SA where illegal mining is going on. In a statement, the trade union spoke about gang violence and rape that should be sending ‘alarm bells ringing to our authorities’.
“The federation has repeatedly called for action from our government to deal with this problem in the mining sector since 2017. The failure by the Government to deal with this scourge of illegal mining has emboldened the gangs operating these disused mines,”
said Pamla.
Illegal miners nabbed with minerals in Northam, Limpopo
Previously, it was reported that following disruptive operations, four suspected illegal miners aged between 20 and 40 were arrested for possession of minerals at Schilpadnest, Northam policing area in Limpopo on Wednesday, 3 August 2022.
Various police disciplines including the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy were on joint operation at Schilpadnest in Northam, when they arrested these four suspects.
According to police, they recovered a Scania Interlink truck with double trailers loaded with minerals, a truck valued at R900 000.00 and minerals at R170 000.00. Read the full story here.
