The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety expresses its deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of the escalating activities of illegal mining in the Bekkersdal community, which have plunged the area into lawlessness, violence and fear.
The Committee is gravely disturbed by the unacceptable and violent nature of crimes linked to illegal mining. In December last year, a mass shooting at an illegal tavern in Bekkersdal left 21 people shot, with nine lives tragically lost.
Last week, the Committee was further briefed on another violent incident in which an alleged zama zama was shot and wounded during night-time gunfire in the area.
Police recovered 17 rifle cartridges and 12 9mm cartridges at the scene, a clear evidence of the presence and use of high-calibre firearms and organised criminal activity.
Illegal mining has also fuelled a surge in kidnappings in Bekkersdal. Following illegal mineral transactions, victims are reportedly followed to their homes, where family members are abducted and ransoms demanded. In cases where ransoms are not paid, victims are brutally murdered, further entrenching fear and contributing to the alarming escalation of violent crime in the community.
These deeply worrying developments compelled the Portfolio Committee on Community Safety to conduct an oversight visit to the Bekkersdal Police Station on Friday, 6 February 2026 to assess its capacity to effectively respond to and combat these crimes.
The Committee identified serious shortcomings that undermine effective policing, including critical resource shortages and poor, inadequate infrastructure.
Of particular concern is that a facility initially intended to function as a satellite police station is currently being used as a fully-fledged station. The facility is small, overcrowded and wholly unsuitable for the scale and severity of criminality in the area, negatively impacting both the morale of police officers and their ability to fight crime effectively.
The Committee reiterates that the situation in Bekkersdal is unacceptable and requires urgent, coordinated intervention. Within its oversight mandate, the Committee has resolved to engage relevant authorities to address the identified deficiencies, including infrastructure upgrades, resource allocation and strengthened operational capacity.
The Committee remains committed to contributing to decisive action that will restore safety, uphold the rule of law and ensure a significant reduction in crime in Bekkersdal.
The people of Bekkersdal deserve to live without fear. The Committee will continue to exercise robust oversight to ensure that law enforcement agencies are adequately equipped and supported to decisively dismantle illegal mining networks and protect the community.
ISSUED BY GPL’S MEDIA SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY, HONOURABLE BANDILE MASUKU
