Business Report writes that trade union federation Cosatu has called for the legalising and regulation of artisanal and illegal miners.  

This comes as an undisclosed number of zama-zamas (illegal miners) remained trapped in an disused shaft south of Johannesburg since Wednesday following an underground fire.  Cosatu said yesterday that, when there are millions of unemployed people desperately looking for jobs, it was obvious focusing on criminalisation of small-scale mining was not the solution.  The Chamber of Mines said yesterday that illegal mining had been on the rise in recent years as a result of the country’s economic environment, which has increased in unemployment and poverty.

• Read this report by Dineo Faku in full at Business Report
• Read Cosatu’s press statement in this regard at Cosatu Today

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page