Illegal mining hits heritage
Makhonjwa Mountain and Pilgrim's Rest are hotspots - MEC.
South Africa's Mpumalanga province is grappling with the issue of illegal mining, which is encroaching upon heritage sites and natural environments, according to the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs MEC Brenda Moeketsi. Speaking during a recent Q&A session in the provincial legislature, Moeketsi emphasized that illegal mining is causing harm to agricultural land, heritage sites, wetlands, and other delicate ecosystems.
In 2021, the Makhonjwa Mountain was recognized as a World Heritage Site due to its ancient volcanic and sedimentary rock formations, estimated to be 3.5 billion years old. Despite this status, efforts to curb illegal mining in the area have been ongoing for some time. The environmental law enforcement agencies, through their Green Scorpions unit, play a crucial role in ensuring environmental compliance and investigating offenses related to illegal mining.
A joint task force has been established to combat illegal mining specifically at Makhonjwa Mountain and Pilgrim's Rest, two notorious hotspots for such activities. These joint efforts have led to several arrests of suspected individuals involved in illegal mining. However, the challenges remain significant as illegal miners are well-equipped and often armed.
The problem extends beyond heritage sites and natural landscapes; agricultural land is also under threat from the intersection of legal and illegal mining operations. Bennie van Zyl, chair of the Makhonjwa Mountain Monitoring and Protection Unit, expressed concern over the agricultural land being under siege. Cyril Chuene, a DA member in the provincial legislature, called upon the provincial government to address the underlying causes of the illegal mining activities.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
