The problem of illegal mining will not be solved until those those pulling the strings behind the scene are caught, DA MP Andrew Whitfield has said.

Whitfield spoke to Sowetan following a visit by the portfolio committee to Krugersdorp where they met the local police as well as Mintec and Harmony Gold companies.

"Arresting zama-zamas and deporting them will not solve the problem of illegal mining up until those who are pulling the strings behind the scenes are caught," he said.

Whitfield said it was totally unacceptable that everyone was talking about zama-zamas but no one was talking among police about the high value target.

A presentation made by the police to the committee identified five levels in the operations of illegal mining:

• The first level is the zama-zamas who get the gold from the ground.
• The second level is the illicit smelt houses. Above that is then regional buyers, buyers at national level and front  companies exporting precious metal.
• At the top of the food chain are international importers, refineries and intermediary companies.

“Most of the arrests, according to Krugersdorp police, are made up of people who are illegal immigrants but police cannot always prove that the suspects are illegal miners. They arrest these people, deport them but they come back into the country.

“You have to cut the head of the snake to kill it. You do not kill the snake by cutting its tail. Police should be able to say where are the people in the highest end of illegal mining. Where do they live? Ultimately, there is somebody pulling the strings of a very complex operation. I believe there are multiple people dealing with different aspects of this at different levels. Why can't police tell us who are the dealers at level 2 that they have arrested? That is what is concerning,” Whitfield said.

The visit by the portfolio committee on police follows that of the minerals and energy which also spent some time in the West Rand.

Parliament has been focusing on illegal mining following the rape of eight women allegedly by zama-zamas on July 28. Since then, police have conducted operations in the West Rand and have since arrested over 300 people.

Whitfield said during the meeting, community members  detailed how they live in fear because of the gunshots that they experience every night.

A presentation made by the police station to the portfolio committee showed that there are only 49 vehicles that are available at the Krugersdorp police station instead of 67 which the facility is given. A total of 14 vehicles are at the garage, while visible policing has access to four of the 20 vehicles for the unit as the rest are at district level.