APA-Johannesburg (South Africa) South African police said on Tuesday that calm has returned to the Johannesburg neighbourhood of Riverlea following Monday’s protests by residents complaining about violence in the area.
The protests came in the wake of the weekend deaths of five illegal miners following violence between rival gangs of “Zama zamas”, undocumented artisanal miners mainly from Mozambique, Lesotho and Zimbabwe who comb abandoned gold and diamond mines in South Africa for leftover minerals.
Syndicates with suspected political connections are in charge of the operations, with armed militias fighting over turf, both at the surface and underground.
Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Xolani Fihla said on Tuesday calm has been restored to Riverlea.
“The situation in Riverlea and surrounding areas remains calm this morning and this is following protest action by residents yesterday,” Fihla told the state-run South African Broadcasting Corporation.
He added: “Police remain on high alert and will continue to monitor the area for any further disturbances and disruptions.”
Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the area on Monday and assured residents that specialised law enforcement units would be deployed by end of Tuesday to combat illegal mining.
During the protests, Riverlea residents closed the area’s streets, saying they did not feel safe as their children refused to walk alone to attend school.
The residents want the police to deal decisively with illegal mining in the area by closing all disused mine dumps.
NM/jn/APA