The ANC has called for the government to establish a specialised unit to fight illegal mining in Gauteng and other parts of the country.
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the Security Cluster must tighten security measures to deal with illegal mining.
The community of Riverlea was up in arms this week after a group of illegal miners were openly engaged in a gun battle in the streets at the weekend where five illegal miners were killed.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said they have deployed the National Intervention Unit and the Tactical Response Team in the area.
Bhengu-Motsiri said on Wednesday they want the government to crack down on illegal mining because it was threatening the economy of the country.
This was the view of the National Working Committee, which said there must be more security deployment to deal with illegal mining.
“There is a need to increase law enforcement presence and strengthen crime prevention strategies, including enhancing crime intelligence to prevent violent crimes. Government must establish a dedicated national security unit to combat illegal mining threatening revenue and the lives of our people,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
She said they want government to deploy more resources in the areas affected by illegal mining activities.
Members of the Gauteng provincial legislature committee on community safety said they want the government to send the army to Riverlea and other parts of the province with problems of zama-zamas.
Bhengu-Motsiri said the issue of zama-zamas was untenable and the Security Cluster must crack down on them.
Politics