The FF Plus was shocked to learn of the senseless death of 17 people last night in the Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg.
According to reports, residents inhaled nitrogen oxide that had leaked out of a gas cylinder. An entire family was annihilated in the tragedy.
Residents of the settlement, which is notorious for illegal mining activities, place the blame for the tragedy squarely on the shoulders of illegal miners (zama-zamas).
Illegal mining activities pose various dangers, not only to the miners but also to the communities in which they live.
Illegal miners store hazardous materials, like explosives, in the settlements where they reside, which endangers the lives of those in nearby dwellings.
The FF Plus requested that the incident as well as the illegal mining activities must be thoroughly investigated.
In the Ekurhuleni Metro, illegal mining activities occur mainly in Boksburg, Brakpan and Benoni.
Drastic action must be taken against illegal miners to prevent further loss of lives.
