South African Govt Deploys Force to Stop Illegal Mining

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed specialised units to the West Rand in the province of Gauteng to flush out illegal artisinal miners said to be terrorising communities the area. In a statement, the Police Ministry said the SAPS would step up police operations, deploy necessary resources and specialised units of the service, to keep residents living in the epicentre of illegal mining safe.

In October 2021, approximately 300 illegal miners, known as "zama zamas", attacked and shot at police and security officers when the officers tried to prevent them from delivering food parcels to underground miners, The Conversation reported. In June 2022, about 150 illegal miners stormed gold miner Sibanye-Stillwater's mothballed Cooke shaft near Randfontein in an attempt to gain control.

More recently, Emalahleni in the province of Mpumalanga - which is home to the country's largest coal reserves - has become a site of illegal mining activity with underground fires being started, spreading smoke and noxious fumes without plans of how they may be extinguished.

SAPS has also had to step in to prevent mob action when residents of Kagiso west of Johannesburg took to the streets, blocking all entry and exit points in the township in a demonstration against the the gang rape of eight women allegedly committed by illegal miners.