On Tuesday (11 August), the Committee will visit Harmony Gold's Eland Shaft in Welkom where 86 illegal miners died early this year. And on Wednesday the Committee will go to Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg where nine mineworkers were killed in an underground accident.

The Committee will also visit Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday and Friday respectively, where incidents of illegal mining were also reported this year.

Earlier this year about 35 illegal miners died in an abandoned gold mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga, while combing for gold remains. In KwaZulu-Natal the Committee will visit Coronation Mine in Vryheid. In all the visits the Committee will meet with mine management, workers and local communities.

Committee Chairperson Mr Fred Gona said they would also meet with the Task Team set up by the Minister of Mineral Resources to look into ways of addressing this organised crime that is reportedly costing the industry billions of rands in tons of smuggled gold.

"Parliament will not tolerate the continuing deaths of people whether through illegal mining or normal mine accidents. We are going to make legislative changes if so required, depending on what we pick on the ground.

"If we find that there has been any negligence on the side of mine management, action will be taken," he said.