Heightened police operations alone around areas known for illegal mining will not stop the influx and the activities of the zama-zamas.
This is according to advocacy group Bench Marks Foundation (BMF), which monitors good governance, ethical and social responsibility of mining companies.
The group's lead researcher David van Wyk said instead of only intensifying policing activities around illegal mining areas, the government must take urgent steps to better regulate the mining industry to curb acts of criminality.
This week, law enforcement agencies intensified their clamp down on illegal miners by raiding mine dumps located in parts of the West Rand and Mogale City.
The raids come days after eight women were raped by a group of men suspected to be illegal miners in Krugersdorp.
More than 140 illegal miners have been arrested during the raids. Among those arrested is a minor as young as 12, a sign that children are among those being exploited by syndicates running illegal mining operations, according to Van Wyk.
“Young children and women are increasingly getting involved in illegal mining. This growing trend can be attributed to increasing levels of unemployment and poverty. People get involved in illegal mining knowingly because it puts bread on their table, but it’s the guys in the background that get a bigger slice once recovered minerals are sold on the black market,” he said.
Police minister Bheki Cele said on Tuesday that the discovery of minors from Mozambique who are involved in illegal mining raised suspicions of human trafficking.
Many of the arrested are suspected to be in the country illegally from various parts of the Southern African region.
Van Wyk said illegal mining operations include individuals who work as agents who would source cheap labour from targeted informal settlements and rural areas.
“Illegal mining is not exclusively reserved for Lesotho or Zimbabwean nationals, many South Africans are also involved in this business. Our research also shows that some members of the police and taxi associations are active players in this dangerous trade,” he said.
Civil society organisation Khuthala Environmental Care Group (KECG) called on the government to tighten the grip on the closure and rehabilitation of mines to speedily resolve emerging concerns.
According to KECG chair Philani Mngomezulu, SA has more than 6,000 abandoned mines and these sites negatively affected surrounding communities.
“Many mining companies don’t comply with the law. Once they are done mining they just pack up and leave communities behind with different problems.
“Workers are left behind with diseases. Illegal mining syndicates are left to fight over the control of the abandoned mines. None of this would happen if we had strict rules on the closure and rehabilitation of mines,” said Mngomezulu.
Mngomezulu said the department of mineral resources and energy has been aware of the concerns raised. The department requested to be sent questions but had not responded to these at the time of going to print.
National Association of Artisanal Miners spokesperson Zethu Hlatshwayo applauded the police for raiding crime-infested mines, but called for a permanent solution.
“A special intelligence unit must be set up to permanently deal with criminal elements at all abandoned mines. Communities located near these mines will live in peace once there is constant police visibility on the ground,” said Hlatshwayo.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.