Parliament, Sunday, 8 September 2024 - The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Mr Mikateko Mahlaule, has welcomed the arrest of two men (aged 65 and 31) for allegedly renting out one of the bedrooms inside their house for illegal mining activities. It is reported that some illegal miners were also arrested.
Media reports say that the incident took place at the Nkandla informal settlement, Rustenburg in North West. There is a manhole inside one of the bedrooms which is alleged to be used to access Khuseleka shaft of Sibanye Stillwater to steal copper cables.
Mr Mahlaule has applauded brave members of the community who alerted the police about the suspicious movements of people in-and-out of the said house. Rustenburg is another illegal mining hot spot in North West after Klerksdorp.
The Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy in the 6th term of Parliament visited both areas together with other illegal mining hot spots in Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, as well as Mpumalanga and recommended for a streamlined approach to this scourge between law enforcement agencies, the then Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, affected communities, and mining companies.
“This incident is a classic case of the unity of purpose between the community, the South African Police Service and Sibanye Stillwater mine. We welcome the arrests and call for law enforcement agencies to spare no effort in further investigations to ensure that the entire value-chain is brought to book and ultimately collapsed,” said Mr Mahlaule.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES, MR MIKATEKO MAHLAULE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Mr Justice Molafo
Cell: 081 424 7481
Email: jmolafo@parliament.gov.za
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