Suspected illegal miners set fires and cause disruptions in Ermelo schools

Suspected zama zamas disrupted schooling in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, this week,  the education department has confirmed. 

A video circulating on social media showed how young children were forced to flee from school amid burning tyres and plumes of smoke as a voice could be heard in the background urging them to run. 

Mpumalanga education department spokesperson Jasper Zwane said the incident happened on Tuesday. 

“The information at our disposal is that the police have arrested a group of men in Ermelo who are illegally mining coal and confiscated their cars last week.

“Those who were not arrested resorted to a wild protest in the community and ended up disrupting two schools, namely Reggie Masuku Secondary School and Wesselton Primary School,” said Zwane. 

Zwane said department officials and the police were deployed to the area on Wednesday and schooling proceeded without disruptions. 

“The department condemns this incident as it caused unnecessary trauma to the young children who are attending the two schools,” Zwane said, adding that psychosocial officials had been deployed to counsel the affected teachers and pupils.

“The department, working with the police, will continue to monitor the situation very closely and ensure that there is no repeat of such an incident,” Zwane added. 

The police's Brig Selvy Mohlala said a case of public violence was opened on Tuesday. He said police had been monitoring the area since Monday when protests erupted in the evening. 

“The protesters were throwing bricks at vehicles on the N11. They were also burning tyres in the road. When the police intervened, the protesters threw bricks at police members. As a result rubber bullets were used to disperse the protesters,” said Mohlala. 

No arrests were made.

Mohlala said they it was not clear if the protesters were illegal miners or community members.

The protests, however, on Wednesday spilt over to the two schools but Mohlala said police experienced challenges in containing the situation.

“As the police attempted to control the protesters, learners from the secondary school also threw objects at police members,” Mohlala said. “Reports are also received that the shops owned by foreign nationals were being vandalised — however no cases to that effect have been reported to the police.

“During radio interviews [on Monday and Tuesday], community members blamed the police for the protests. Police were criticised for arresting the illegal miners. The community said they would protest until the illegal miners were released,” said Mohlala. 

He said one listener even made a threat to the community that they would burn the police station.

Mohlala said they were monitoring the situation and no further incidents were reported

Mpumalanga community safety MEC, Vusi Shongwe visited the schools and area on Thursday. Shongwe condemned the disorder and appealed to communities to protect schools.

He vowed that such an incident would not happen again and called on the community, pupils and teachers to work together and not be deterred by the incident.

“You must not be discouraged. We are here to reassure you that what happened on Tuesday at the school will not happen again. We will ensure that the local station patrols the schools regularly,” said the Shongwe, who praised the management of Wesselton Primary School for ensuring cleanliness and proper running of the school.

He also visited Reggie Masuku Secondary where he interacted with teachers and pupils.

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