Mpumalanga tourism threatened by illegal mining

MBOMBELA - Illegal mining is still a concern in many parts of the country.

Mpumalanga's Tourism and Parks Agency says the crime is becoming a threat to tourists and wildlife.

It's alleged that heavily armed zama zama's hide in the parks and are also involved in illegal hunting.

READ: Illegal mining | SA engaging neighbouring countries 

Law enforcement agencies are promising to work around the clock to address the matter.

The Tourism and Parks Agency's Victor Mashego said, "tomorrow [Friday] we will be hosting a tourism safety stakeholder imbizo."

"This one seems to be a new dynamic because it happens within our parks...further than that I think we need to bring in the Department of Minerals and Energy..so we see this as an opportunity to say how does this mining happen for people to access our parks and poach our animals..so we need to work closely with them."