KZN 'gold rush' halted
Sparked by the supposed discovery of gold, illegal mining operations in KwaMachi, southern KwaZulu-Natal, have been halted and the mine has been cordoned off following concerns about the safety of the diggers.
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Hundreds of people descended on a shale quarry near Harding after the 'find'. However, the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Sihle Zikalala. said there is currently no evidence that real gold is being mined.The decision to halt operations was taken by government and community leaders during a stakeholder engagement, after concerns were raised that mining operations were putting the lives of diggers in danger as they were being injured by falling rocks on a daily basis.
“Geologists from the Department of Mineral Resources will continue to investigate whether or not there is any potential for the exploration of gold in the area. We expect them to give us the final report in the next two months. We call on our people to allow this process to unfold,” he said.
The illegal mining was also causing unnecessary tensions among villagers, who were competing for mining space, while children are playing truant.
“We have been told that some children no longer go to school. They spend the whole day at the mine and sell stones. This has to end. We have been assured by the law enforcement agencies that the decisions we have taken today will be enforced,” Zikalala said.
Source: SAnews.gov.za
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