SAPS needs help to root out illegal mining and the rise of zama zamas, says Bheki Cele

Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Wednesday the police need help to stop illegal mining and the rise of illegal miners known as zama zamas.

Cele said the Home Affairs Department should curb illegal immigration, which he said was directly linked to illegal mining.

The minister was responding to questions on the police’s annual report.

Cele said the scourge of illegal mining was just too big for the police alone.

He said Home Affairs had a bigger role to play adding that most zamas zamas have entered the country illegally.

“Somebody asked if we are going to deal with zama zamas. No, we are not going to deal with zama zamas if sister departments like Home Affairs are not helping us to deal with illegal crossing of the people because everybody you find in the zama zamas are illegal immigrants in South Africa.”

Cele said the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy should also play its part.

“That department has put the figure on the table of 6,000 unclosed shafts. If those shafts are not closed, if those mines are not rehabilitated that goes also to the owners of the miners (zama zamas).”

The minister told Members of Parliament that the police force is dealt a blow by successive budget cuts.

-EWN

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