Zama-Zamas
- South Africa News
Over 300 undocumented foreign nationals arrested for illegal mining in Gauteng
The police in Gauteng have pounced on more than 300 suspected illegal miners, while two others were arrested in North…
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Gauteng police arrest hundreds of illegal miners around Boksburg
Police have arrested hundreds of illegal miners in operations around Boksburg. However, there are concerns that many will find their…
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Residents near Lesotho border living in fear of smugglers entering South Africa illegally
Residents living near the Lesotho borders are living in fear of zama zamas and drug smugglers allegedly entering the country…
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More than 300 more soldiers called in to fight crime and zama zamas in the Free State
395 members of the SA National Defence Force will be sent to the Free State to help fight the scourge…
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Over 100 illegal miners arrested in Ekurhuleni
Police and members of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) have arrested more than 100 suspected illegal miners in Primrose,…
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Detonators & explosive gels among items seized from suspected zama zamas in Sabie
Mpumalanga police on Friday said they had arrested 18 people believed to be illegal miners operating in the Sabie area.…
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Government in process of drafting legislation to legalize artisanal mining, says Ntshavheni
Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the government is in the process of drafting legislation to legalize artisanal or…
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Ntshavheni: Home Affairs beefing up capacity to deport illegal miners
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said that the Home Affairs Department was in the process of beefing up its…
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68 arrested for illegal mining in Mpumalanga
At least 68 suspected illegal miners between the ages 19 and 54 were nabbed during Operation Shanela which was conducted…
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President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledges difficulties caused by zama zamas in Gauteng
African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged what he referred to as the difficulties of zama zamas (illegal…
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Premier Panyaza Lesufi says Gauteng is under siege from zama zamas
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has once again appealed for the deployment of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) and additional…
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Police clamp down on illegal mining in Roodepoort
As part of Operation Shanela in Roodepoort, Gauteng police carried out a raid at an abandoned mine in the area.…
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Zama zama arrested following shootout with police in Riverlea
One illegal miner has been arrested for attempted murder in Riverlea, Johannesburg, following a shootout with members of the South…
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Gwede Mantashe slams suggestions that zama zamas be trained to solve illegal mining crisis
The government says it has no intention of upskilling Zama Zamas with artisanal mining skills. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister,…
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JMPD demolish shacks belonging to illegal miners at Zamimpilo informal settlement
Johannesburg metro police have demolished scores of shacks belonging to illegal miners at the Zamimpilo informal settlement in Riverlea. This…
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Gun fight between illegal miners & Joburg cops
Johannesburg metro police and illegal miners were involved in a shoot-out in Matholesville, west of Johannesburg, on Sunday. Gauteng police…
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Mathole residents living in fear due to illegal mining
Johannesburg Metro Police are continuing their hunt for zama zamas around the city. Earlier, a shoot-out ensued between officers and…
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MMC says operations to stop illegal mining in Johannesburg will continue
Johannesburg Public Safety MMC Dr Mgcini Tshwaku says operations aimed at raiding illegal mining hotspots will continue until safety is…
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Deal with zama zamas, or we will – Riverlea community tells police
Residents of Riverlea threatened to take matters into their own hands should police not deal decisively with illegal miners, also…
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Illegal miners continue mining despite death of 13 Zama Zamas
Illegal miners at Kleinzee, in the northern where 13 miners died underground when a mine collapsed earlier this week, have…
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Police hunt for zama zama kingpin’s killers
As the issue of illegal miners, also known as zama zamas, continues to plague parts of the country, with wars…
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Riverlea residents vow to take up fight against zama zamas
Angry residents of Riverlea have warned the government that they’ll take up arms if there isn’t visible policing in the…
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Home Affairs to deport undocumented illegal mining suspects
The Department of Home Affairs has announced that it will deport undocumented people arrested during raids on illegal miners in…
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Over 100 suspected zama zamas nabbed in Riverlea
The police ministry revealed that at least 194 suspected zama zamas were arrested over the past three days in Riverlea,…
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Presidency raises concern over mining violence
The Presidency says illegal mining and related violence is concerning. Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says the office is happy with the…
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8 bodies recovered at a mine dump site in Nama Khoi municipality
Northern Cape police have recovered eight bodies under a mining tunnel near Kleinzee in Nama-Khoi municipality. The discovery of the…
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Family of Riverlea man killed in a shootout between cops & zama zamas wants answers
The family of a 32-year-old man who was killed by a stray bullet during a shooting between police and zama…
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5 killed in zama zama wars
Five people have been killed in Joburg in what police believe were clashes between illegal miners, also known as zama…
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DA suggests formalising small-scale mining to prevent illegal activity
The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it was time to look at formalizing small-scale mining to prevent incidents like the Boksburg…
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Calls intensify for establishment of specialized unit to tackle illegal mining
Political parties have raised concern over the government’s failure to establish a specialized police unit to tackle illegal mining in…
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Boksburg gas leak survivors left traumatised after witnessing families die
Survivors of the Boksburg gas leak say they are traumatized after witnessing adults and children gasping for air while throwing…
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Harmony Gold dismisses claims it was involved in explosion at abandoned Free State mine
A video doing the rounds on social media, which the publication is in possession of, shows three vehicles driving away…
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Virginia community live in fear of illegal miners
The community of Virginia says they live in fear of illegal miners. They say the zama zamas are causing havoc…
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No hope of retrieving Free State miners’ bodies anytime soon
Authorities still don’t know when the bodies of suspected illegal miners will be retrieved from a disused Free State mine.…
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31 dead zama zamas believed to be Lesotho nationals
The bodies of at least 39 suspected illegal miners have been found in less than 24 hours. 31 of them…
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Krugersdorp police apologise to rape survivors
Police have publicly apologized to the Krugersdorp rape survivors. The eight women were raped in July 2022. The attack was…
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SAPS to investigate leak of Krugersdorp gang r@pe victims’ personal details
The South African Police Service (SAPS) said that it would be conducting an internal investigation over the leaking of personal…
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5 zama zamas killed execution style in Free State
Free State police have launched a manhunt for suspects after five illegal miners, also known as zama zamas, were killed…
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Equipment salvaged from abandoned R700 million Covid hospital
Generators, as well as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment, has been salvaged from the abandoned Anglo Ashanti Hospital, in the…
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Bodies thought to be illegal miners found on Putfontein Street
Gauteng Police are investigating a double murder docket after two bodies were found at Putfontein Street, in Albert Luthuli, Daveyton,…
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Police insist efforts to root out illegal mining in Gauteng’s West Rand on track
The police say efforts to root out illegal mining in Gauteng’s West Rand remain on track amid complaints by residents…
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Zama zamas flocked back to Krugersdorp after gang rape charges were dropped
The community of Krugersdorp said scores of zama zamas returned to the area after the gang rape charges against the…
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Mogale Municipality implores community to report illegal mining
The Mogale Local Municipality renewed its calls for communities to report illegal mining following the discovery of 21 bodies at…
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SAPS needs help to root out illegal mining and the rise of zama zamas, says Bheki Cele
Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Wednesday the police need help to stop illegal mining and the rise of illegal…
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Zama zamas are highly sophisticated, says Bheki Cele
Police Minister Bheki Cele says a highly sophisticated group of zama zamas is running illegal mining in the country. He…
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7 illegal mining kingpins arrested on Gauteng’s West Rand to appear in court
Seven men believed to be illegal mining kingpins will appear in the Carletonville Magistrates Court on Wednesday on charges of…
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Outstanding DNA results delay Krugersdorp gang rape case
Outstanding DNA test results have delayed the Krugersdorp mine dump rape case again. Fourteen men stand accused of gang-raping eight…
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3 alleged illegal miners nabbed in Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations has clamped down on three Illegal foreign nationals believed to be zama zamas On…
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Firearm & ammunition seized as more illegal miners arrested
Police in Johannesburg arrested three suspected illegal miners and seized an AK47 rifle and ammunition in Bosmont on Friday. This…
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Bosmont residents tired of zama zamas committing crimes in the area
Residents of Bosmont, in western Johannesburg, say they are tired of the multiple gun battles between zama zamas in their…
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