President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to meet with various ministerial departments on Saturday over illegal miner-related issues plaguing Gauteng.
Illegal mining in the province has dominated the national conversation following protests by communities living near former mining towns.
Last month, 17 people died in Boksburg following a gas leak, while last week, five bullet-ridden bodies were discovered in a field in Riverlea after a turf war by rival zama zama gangs.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said an integrated effort by law enforcement, Correctional Services, Home Affairs, and Social Development is needed to deal with zama zamas.
He was speaking at an illegal mining crime imbizo at the Riverlea Recreation Centre grounds on Friday.
“The president himself said he is tired of these piece-meal responses of the security cluster or any other responsible department.
“There are quite several responsible departments one of them is mineral resources to close these things but also the municipalities themselves to keep our environmental design healthy.”
Cele also called on his counterparts from neighbouring countries to help South Africa in its fight against zama zamas.
This week, a special police task force deployed to the troubled area of Riverlea arrested 194 people suspected of being illegal miners.
Cele said at least 170 of those are undocumented foreigners, with the majority of them being from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and other countries which border South Africa.
-EWN
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