SAPS getting specialised unit to combat illegal miners

[Hanno Labuschagne]

SAPS getting specialised unit to combat illegal miners

The South African Police Service will establish a specialised force to combat illegal mining that’s robbing the nation of revenue and hampering operations at mineral companies.

The new security force will be a “multi-disciplinary unit” between the SAPS and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, the energy, minerals and resource minister told lawmakers in Cape Town on Thursday.

[Bloomberg]

 

[Neuk_]

Sounds like the SAPS needs a specialised SAPS unit to combat the crimes that the SAPS should be combating.

 

[KantSnyer]

Pretty scary thread this, guys gonna have their work cut out for them :

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1567882475598118913

 

[azbob]

What about dropping grenades down the mines?

 

[R13...]

What about dropping grenades down the mines?

Won't work. The shafts are too deep. Just put out a tender for a number of trucks full of gravel and backfill the shafts a bit. Give them a week's warning to come out or bury them.

 

[lkswan747]

Ha Ha Ha, they can't even fight normal crime so how is a "specialised" unit going to manage?
Take care of the rampant crime rate and then we may have more faith!

 

[TheChamp]

Yeah, It's not going to work, just another pointless exercise to make it look like they are doing something, nothing will ever work with the borders still wide open.

 

[ForceFate]

Yeah, It's not going to work, just another pointless exercise to make it look like they are doing something, nothing will ever work with the borders still wide open.

I'm no expert on military stuff but can't a decent chunk of the military be stationed at the borders, with rotations every few months? It's not like we have hostile countries nearby.

 

[R13...]

Yeah, It's not going to work, just another pointless exercise to make it look like they are doing something, nothing will ever work with the borders still wide open.

I find it curious that Gwede is supporting the stopping of illegality. His solution when he started as minister was to legitimize the zama zamas. I wonder if he's changing tune or this is in addition to that plan which seems to be going nowhere slowly.

 

[neoprema]

Ha Ha Ha, they can't even fight normal crime so how is a "specialised" unit going to manage?
Take care of the rampant crime rate and then we may have more faith!

it will manage to get more funds into cadres accounts...

 

[wingnut771]

the "specialised unit" will probably end up acting like security for the zama zamas protecting them from the surrounding communities.

 

[OhYeah84]

Apparently illegal miners are a major drain on our economy according to Gwede.

Forget: crime; bribery; corruption; lack of jobs; lack of investments; companies pulling out; mass emmigration leading to lower taxes.

It's illegal miners who are the main cause.

 

[Hemi300c]

In SA the anc creates a special everything to manage the current k@k which does nothing and eventually they all do the same -nothing.

 

[TelkomUseless]

Yea "specialised" unit that does diddly squat just like the current "police force"

 

[wingnut771]

Yea "specialised" unit that does diddly squat just like the current "police force"

They will be "specialised" in making sure the gold gets to the "right" people.

 

[ForceFate]

If their sole purpose is to follow up on illegal mining, then I'm all for the new unit. I hope they don't land on the payroll of the illicit traders

 

[lkswan747]

In SA the anc creates a special everything to manage the current k@k which does nothing and eventually they all do the same -nothing.

Yip, when she is broke, we make a new one, this one we also break, rinse and repeat!

 

[wingnut771]

If their sole purpose is to follow up on illegal mining, then I'm all for the new unit. I hope they don't land on the payroll of the illicit traders

Why can't they fix the old unit instead?

 

[Dimpie (COMPUTEK)]

but is/was there not a specialized unit already? ... what was that whole mine bust thing on CarteBlanche a few months ago ? ... cant the same team do ALL the mines

 

[ForceFate]

Why can't they fix the old unit instead?

I wasn't aware there was a unit dealing exclusively with illegal mining.