a) The department has sealed three shafts in and around Plastic City informal settlement in 2019.
b) Through the Department’s continuous monitoring and evaluation initiatives, it has been made aware that illegal miners have mined under some roads, causing it to collapse. To this end, the Department with the assistance of MINTEK is investigating this issue further. Furthermore, the SAPS together with Ekurhuleni Municipality will be consulted to have a lasting solution in this regard.
c) The Department will continue enforcing the laws that prohibit mining without the necessary authorisations (mining right and environmental authorisation) together with other law enforcement agencies. The Department is also participating in joint law enforcement forums aimed at strengthening investigations and prosecutions of these types of organised crimes that deprives the country of its mineral resources-based revenues, causing massive environmental damage with impacts on society.