http://www.miningweekly.com/page/americas-home
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Illegal mining in South Africa was getting out of control with about 6 000 people estimated to be involved in the practice of illegal underground mining and another 8 000 in illegal surface mining, Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu said on Friday.
She pointed out that it was estimated that, in 2011, illegal mining subtracted about R6-billion from the country’s fiscus, adding that as the practice grew this figure would also grow and, therefore, it was something that had to be dealt with.
Shabangu on Friday met with local stakeholders, aiming to establish a local Ekurhuleni illegal mining forum, including unions, mining industry players, the Metro Police, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Home Affairs.
After the meeting, she told media that while there was a Gauteng provincial forum on illegal mining, it was “not really moving in a way that helps us to take this process [forward] and deal with the matter decisively” and, therefore, the decision to set up the Ekurhuleni forum was made.