Springs gold mining spree: 'There was never an agreement,' says land owner

The owner of a cattle kraal where scores have flocked to mine for gold in springs is worried about her livestock. 
Locals at the Gugulethu informal settlement believe they may have discovered gold deposits on a neighbour’s property. 

The rumours of gold has drawn illegal miners and amateurs who say they want their chance at a better life. 

Nontombi Mgijima, the owner of the kraal, has grown frustrated after a week of digging on her plot. 

She said she initially demanded a payment of between R20 and R50 for entry, adding that it is difficult to monitor who has or hasn’t paid for what would be prospecting rights. 

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“There was never an agreement, they didn’t sit down with us requesting permission to mine for gold. They just arrived and started digging.” 

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resource and Ekurhuleni officials have again warned that digging for gold without a permit is illegal. 

Earlier, Ekurhuleni metro police were on site, resulting in everyone at the kraal scattering briefly. 

It is understood the ward councillor has called a community meeting later on Tuesday.

However, the locals claim they’ve never met the councillor and are not interested in talks that don’t present solutions on the socioeconomic issues they face.