South Africa-based global corporate responsibility watchdog, Benchmark Foundation, has welcomed what it calls the government's change of tact following a meeting between the national police ministry and mine rescue experts. At the conclusion of Friday's stakeholder-meeting, Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, told members of the media that the now-controversial Operation Val' Umgodi had serious shortcomings. Mchunu said the shortcomings included the failure to consider the socio-economic challenges of communities where illegal mining activities are rampant. He added that part of the challenge is the fact that the vast majority of illegal miners are from outside the country and there are continuous engagements with the affected embassies. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Benchmark Foundation researcher, David van Wyk..

<p>South Africa-based global corporate responsibility watchdog, Benchmark Foundation, has welcomed what it calls the government's change of tact following a meeting between the national police ministry and mine rescue experts. At the conclusion of Friday's stakeholder-meeting, Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, told members of the media that the now-controversial Operation Val' Umgodi had serious shortcomings. Mchunu said the shortcomings included the failure to consider the socio-economic challenges of communities where illegal mining activities are rampant. He added that part of the challenge is the fact that the vast majority of illegal miners are from outside the country and there are continuous engagements with the affected embassies. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Benchmark Foundation researcher, David van Wyk..</p>

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"It's not true that they cannot be traced. Some of them live on a farm in Stellenbosch"- Benchmark Foundation researcher, David van Wyk says it's nonsense that the government can't find original mine owners

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