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IN PICS | Zama zamas nowhere to be found in Mohlakeng as 'AmaBherete' abandon search after an hour

Residents were unimpressed: 'They’re not serious. You can tell by how they walk that they don’t know what they’re doing'

Police strolled through parts of Mohlakeng, Randfontein, on Tuesday as they searched for zama zamas. The area was thrown into chaos on Monday as communities torched the homes of alleged zama zamas.
Police strolled through parts of Mohlakeng, Randfontein, on Tuesday as they searched for zama zamas. The area was thrown into chaos on Monday as communities torched the homes of alleged zama zamas.
Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba

An operation by police to snuff out zama zamas (illegal miners) in Mohlakeng, Randfontein, on Tuesday ended in disappointment for the community as no arrests were made. 

Police members, part of a new tactical response team, the “AmaBherete”, were deployed to the area after unrest on Monday as community members took matters into their own hands, ransacking and burning down the homes of alleged zama zamas.

The community on Monday joined others in other areas on Johannesburg's West Rand to hunt down the illegal miners in an effort to clamp down on informal operations. There has been an outpouring of anger after the gang rape of eight women at a disused mine in Krugersdorp on July 30. 

On Tuesday, a group of officers stood atop a hill, close to the sports ground where community members gathered, watching a soccer game. 

Members of the newly formed tactical response team, "AmaBherete," scoured parts of Mohlakeng, Randfontein, on Tuesday as they searched for zama zamas. The area was thrown into chaos on Monday as communities torched the homes of alleged zama zamas.
Members of the newly formed tactical response team, "AmaBherete," scoured parts of Mohlakeng, Randfontein, on Tuesday as they searched for zama zamas. The area was thrown into chaos on Monday as communities torched the homes of alleged zama zamas.
Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba

Many of the members strolled around casually chatting as they combed the bushes.

The crowd at the sports ground barely noticed the men and women in blue who had by 3pm found no zama zamas.

A short distance from the sports ground, other members navigated their way through the bush as they scoured the koppies on foot. 

Less than an hour after their arrival, police abandoned their search.

One resident was unimpressed.

“Why would they come this time if they wanted to catch them? They’re not serious. You can tell by how they walk that they don’t know what they’re doing,” said the man as he walked back to watch the soccer game.

While many residents were left disappointed by the police's unenthusiastic efforts, despair filled the hearts of those who were victims of the community's wrath on Monday. 

Basotho women and children in the area, at eMahostel, were caught in the middle when the community rounded them up and threw their belongings in the streets.

Malehlwa Sejalo, a mother of two, said she has nowhere to go.

Women and children were kicked out of their homes at eMahostela, Mohlakeng, on Tuesday.
Women and children were kicked out of their homes at eMahostela, Mohlakeng, on Tuesday.
Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba

“They say they don’t want us here any more. They chased us out of our homes and brought us to the street. We have no plan as it stands, and we don’t have all our belongings with us. We have lives here, our children go to schools in the area. What about them?

Wise Kobe, a resident, said there was nothing wrong with what they were doing as they were “cleaning their area”.

“Their men will surely come back for them. If we want to get rid of them for good, their families must also go. They told us their men would come back and with force. We have to be prepared. We won’t harm them, we will make sure they have a safe place to sleep tonight and from there they will have to find a way. They will be fine. It’s not wrong, we’re avoiding further havoc.”

TimesLIVE


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