With reference to the informal settlement on Main Reef Road, in Brakpan, Gauteng, known as Plastic City what:
a) steps are being taken by his department to seal off the old and inactive mines in the area, considering that it has become a hotbed of illegal mining and associated criminal activities,
b) steps are being taken (i) to protect critical infrastructure from illegal mining in this area and (ii) jointly by his department and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to ensure that mineral rights and environmental legislation obligations are being met; and
c) steps will his department be taking in future to stop illegal mining in the area? NW185E