City of Johannesburg clamps down on illegal mining for 'water abuse'

Tsitsi Maposa is a grinder‚ who makes R100 a day working on an illegal gold mine in Johannesburg‚ a job she has done since 2014 in an effort to feed herself.

But zama zamas are wasting huge amounts of water‚ a problem the city wants to tackle as it tries to mitigate the effects of the prolonged drought.

City of Johannesburg officials visited illegal mines on Thursday‚ after residents of two areas were left without water‚ which they blamed on the zama zamas.

SEE: An illegal water connection

Illegal miners run water from RDP housing 24/7, #illegalwaterconnections are biggest consumers of water -Infrastructure Protection Unit ^NS pic.twitter.com/T8MSGUeooP

— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) December 22, 2016

There are about 2‚000-3‚000 illegal miners at the Randfontein road site‚ who use illegal water connections to process gold‚ the city said.

“Miners unlawfully connect to residential water supply. As a result Matholesville and Tshepisong have been without water‚” the city said.

SEE: The scale of the operation

Miners unlawfully connect to residential water supply as a result Matholesville& Tshepisong have been w/o water #illegalwaterconnections ^NS pic.twitter.com/3kQRPTo7lX

— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) December 22, 2016

Saying zama zamas were amongst the biggest water wasters in the city‚ the metro said they miners also run water from RDP housing “24/7” and bypass water meters.

As part of the crackdown on illegal water connections‚ the City's Infrastructure Protection Unit also visited Roodepoort on Thursday.

At Main Reef Road in Roodepoort‚ which has been identified as an illegal mining hot spot‚ the city said water restrictions are to be implemented in the area due to wastage.

Explaining how the process works‚ the city said phase one was to get to the gold in shafts‚ which was followed by crushing of rocks. Water was then used to wash the gold before it was smelted.

SEE: Site where 'water abuse' happens

Site where #waterabuse happens. Miners wash what they got from the grinding process, to get the mercury/gold #illegalwaterconnections ^NS pic.twitter.com/6FnL5WnSL9

— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) December 22, 2016

A miner told officials that it could take up to an hour to find a single gram of gold during the washing process.

WATCH: This is how it is washed

Miner says it could take up to an hour to find a single gram of gold during the washing process #illegalwaterconnections ^NS pic.twitter.com/JZXRN28iqZ

— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) December 22, 2016

The reward for the often gruelling work is financial.

The city says 28 grams of gold go for 1‚000 dollars.

WATCH: What a gram of gold looks like

This is a gram of gold. Goes for R380. SAPS, @JHBWater and Immigration are on the scene to assess the site #illegalwaterconnections ^NS pic.twitter.com/iRsdP44Nqh

— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) December 22, 2016

WATCH: This is what grinding involves

When they talk about the grind, this is it, miner says this is the only way they know to make money #illegalwaterconnections ^NS pic.twitter.com/AmFUB2e1SQ

— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) December 22, 2016