The zama zama challenge: South Africa has 6,100 derelict, ownerless mines

The scale of illegal mining in South Africa and associated criminality was outlined by defence minister Thandi Modise on Friday as soldiers are deployed to help police clamp down on zama zamas. 

The past 12 months have seen an increase in incidents where illegal miners held communities to ransom, committing violent crimes including murder and rape, and underground gas explosions damaging infrastructure, she said.

Illegal mining has also been linked to organised crimes such as gangsterism, human trafficking, money laundering, dealing in illegal weapons and explosives, tax evasion, illegal immigration and transnational organised crimes, the minister said at a briefing by the justice, crime prevention and security cluster.

President Cyril Ramaphosa this week announced the deployment of 3,300 South African National Defence Force members for six months to help police combat illegal mining at a cost of almost R500m.

“The police have got this, we go in support of police,” Modise said.

“We are also aware and know the people wreaking havoc, not only in the Gauteng mines but also in North West mines, come from our neighbours and are trained soldiers.”

To date, 4,067 suspects have been arrested on illegal mining-related charges and 4,068 cases of contravention of the Immigration Act are pending before court.

Among the arrested are 63 South Africans and 2,739 people from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Kenya, Pakistan and Uganda.

Modise said the arrests indicate the multinational nature of illegal mining.

“Anyone who comes into conflict with the laws of South Africa will be dealt with harshly according to our criminal justice system, irrespective of whether that person is a citizen or a foreigner.”

Between April and August this year, 329 accused were convicted of offences related to illicit mining.

“During the same period, we had 7,351 cases in which accused were convicted of contravention of the Immigration Act.

“To date, 28 intelligence-driven operations, 360 disruptive operations, 360 simultaneous roadblocks, 130 joint spaza operations, 108 restaurant joint operations, four hotel operations, 353 compliance inspections and 48 borderline operations have been conducted,” Modise said.

From January to March, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) and the Asset Forfeiture Unit seized at least 15 vehicles, issued 14 freezing orders to the value of R16.9m and two forfeitures to the value of R1.9m.

From April to October, 12 freezing orders were obtained to the value of R16.6m and one forfeiture to the value of R670,000.

A national intervention team deployed in Mpumalanga to deal with illegal mining and security issues concerning Eskom resulted in the arrest of 67 illegal miners, with mining equipment worth R180m seized and coal valued at R12m confiscated.

Modise said there are 6,100 derelict and ownerless mines in South Africa.

“Some of these mines are old and the owners cannot be traced. There are 1,170 mine openings nationally and in Gauteng there are 518.

“The department of mineral resources & energy is going to rehabilitate three mines, has closed 40 mine openings per year and is conducting research. The department has plans to deal with this issue over time,” she said.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the department intends to seal the openings of ownerless mines so they cannot be entered.

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