ActionSA writes to Aaron Motsoaledi & Gwede Mantashe over Zama Zamas in Riverlea, Johannesburg

1 May 2023

ActionSA has written to Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, and Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, to urgently intervene in the ongoing violence caused by Zama Zamas in the community of Riverlea in Johannesburg.

The continued operation of Zama Zamas, and the trauma they affect to communities due to their ongoing turf wars, are another sign of the breakdown of the rule of law in South Africa and how our communities have been left defenceless.

ActionSA, a party which values the rule of law, is committed to turning this situation around, both in Riverlea and across South Africa.

On Sunday afternoon, alongside ActionSA National Director for Operations John Moodey, ActionSA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson Funzi Ngobeni, former City of Johannesburg Public Safety MMC David Tembe and ActionSA activists visited the community of Riverlea following a spate of Zama Zama shootings on Saturday evening.

There, before handing over a memorandum to the Langlaagte Police Station to urge their intervention, I promised the community I would write to the Home Affairs Minister and Minieral of Resources for them to address the situation.

It is common knowledge that Zama Zamas are often immigrants who lack adequate documentation and therefore requires Minister Motsoaledi’s intervention, while illegal mining is squarely the responsibility of Minister Mantashe. Their intervention is therefore essential to bring an end to the scourge of Zama Zamas.

For too long, our communities - including the community of Riverlea, have been left defenceless due to political meddling in the police service and the rise of lawlessness within South Africa. ActionSA is determined to never forget our communities, and ensure that our streets are safe again.

Issued by Herman Mashaba, ActionSA President, 1 May 2023