Stilfontein illegal mining impasse: 'Govt has a plan to help people mine'

STILFONTEIN - As a rescue operation unfolds at an abandoned mine in Stilfontein - some community leaders have cast their eyes on a long-term solution to illegal mining in the area.

Plans are currently underway to force hundreds of zama zamas back to the surface and shut down an illegal operation that’s been running for years at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine.

While this is set to be a quick fix to the crisis - community leader Thembile Bortman said the Department of Mineral Resources must come to the table with long-term solutions.

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“Remember as the community we mentioned that we have been applying to legalise and to make sure that the department is regulating mining.”

Meanwhile, the MEC for Community Safety in the North West Wessels Morweng said work was being done to address the bigger issue. 

“There’s a plan on the part of government to see how best we can help people to mine. Those ones will be considered because they are not criminals.”