Once the world’s biggest producer of gold, South Africa has over 6 000 abandoned mines. These mines make for fertile ground for zama zamas to try their luck. Photo: SAPS
South Africa’s dire unemployment levels have left millions of people living in poverty and doing anything necessary in order to survive and support their families.
For example, in locations with abandoned mines, zama zamas, or illicit miners, sift for gold to sell on the black market. Once the world’s biggest producer of gold, South Africa has more than 6 000 abandoned mines.
These mines make for fertile ground for zama zamas to try their luck. Additionally, alleged turf wars often erupt between several zama zama gangs for control of the former mining areas.
In a “Vice” mini-documentary about illegal mining, one zama zama boss whose identity was withheld was quoted as saying: ‘’This is a business, this is a game. There’s nothing you can do. If somebody plays in your territory, you need to fix him up.
‘’You need to rob Peter to pay Paul. It’s blood money. There’s a group of five of us who are the big bosses. We can make roughly R20 million and we share it among ourselves.’’
The zama zama top dog told “Vice” that the process worked as smoothly as a well-oiled machine when it comes to bribing corrupt police officers to stay off their tails.
‘’In our scheme, we take out around R15 000 a month...They are on our payroll, those cops.’’
Thabang Mbote, an artisanal miner, also spoke to the media company about the conditions of his work above ground. He said that sometimes he can work for a week or even a month without getting nothing.
‘’I don’t see myself as a zama zama. That word does not sit well with me at all. I am scared of those people,’’ he told “Vice”.
In 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that a specialised police team would be set up to fight illegal mining in South Africa.
Seven suspected illegal miners were apprehended in January while mining for chrome at Mooihoek Mountain in Driekop, Limpopo, in January.
‘’The fight against illegal mining activities will continue to be intensified across the province, particularly in the Sekhukhune and Mopani districts.
“We warn communities to desist from engaging in these illegal activities as the police will relentlessly arrest all perpetrators and seize their equipment,” said Limpopo provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe.
However, the police are fighting a losing battle because as some zama zamas get arrested, more come to take their places. ‘’Unfortunately, because of the money going up and down, arresting them is not the end of it,’’ a police officer told ‘’Vice’’.
He said it is an ongoing battle.
IOL