Sibonelo Zwane
Angry communities on the West Rand are taking matters into their own hands.
They have started burning down houses and tents where zamazamas live in an effort to make them leave.
Residents of the Borwa township in Westonaria blame illegal miners for rising levels of crime in the area.
On Wednesday morning a group of angry community members went on the rampage, destroying any housing structure near their kasi that they believed belonged to a zamazama.
This came a day after residents from Bekkersdal, Zenzele, and Toekomsrus took to the streets to protest against illegal mining in the area.
The rise in vigilante action against zamazamas follows the massive police operation in Krugersdorp last week, in which police are thought to have arrested over 300 illegal miners following the gang rape of eight women in an abandoned mine.
Borwa residents burnt several structures belonging to the illegal miners next to a mine dump in their area, before they were stopped by the police.
As the residents were setting fire to the tents, police dispersed them using rubber bullets and tear gas canisters. Nine people were arrested for public violence.
This infuriated the residents, who accused the police of being behind the zamazamas.
Local resident Thembi Xuli was part of a group who went out hunting zamazamas. She said they were tired of living in fear.
“We live in fear in our own homes. They break into our houses while we’re inside. Our children are not safe – hence we even have to walk them to school in the morning.”
She added that the police have failed them and have no shame in protecting illegal miners.
“It’s clear to us that the police have picked sides. They shoot at us with rubber bullets and throw tear gas at us, protecting criminals. We are on our own,” she said.
Community leader Paseka Ndevu said that last week they sent a petition to the Westonaria police, requesting backup to raid illegal mine dumps.
“We asked for the deployment of various law enforcement officers to assist as promised by Police Minister Bheki Cele but they never came. It was only a few public disorder officers who came, not to help us but to stop us from getting rid of the zamazamas.”
Ndevu said the police told them that the illegal miners were far from their houses.
Police monitored the area throughout the day and had to constantly shoot at the community with rubber bullets to stop them from throwing stones at them.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said following protests that erupted in Westonaria on Wednesday morning, Public Order Police and the local Visible Policing members were deployed to monitor the situation while the station management negotiated with the community leader to end the protest.
“Nine suspects were arrested for public violence,” she said.
