South African lawmakers on Thursday urged the government to accelerate the closure of abandoned mines in the country, which attract illegal miners, some of whom have been arrested for an alleged gang rape.
The alleged rape has caused public outrage and put the spotlight on the problem of the abandoned mines and the illegal miners, many of whom are illegal immigrants.
South Africa's mines, police and home affairs ministers on Thursday briefed the country's upper house of parliament on the government's response to illegal mining and other related crimes.
