Mining in focus
Underground illegal miners.
In the illegal mining sector, it is common
practice for illegal miners to bribe their
way into operating mines to gain access.
Once underground, illegal miners would
rely on legitimate mine employees
to supply them with food and other
supplies while they spend prolonged
periods underground. Lutchman
mentioned that some Sibanye-Stillwater
mine employees (including security
guards) had been arrested for colluding
with illegal miners underground. The
growing demand for illicit gold leads
to an increase in people choosing to
participate in illegal mining activities.
Inequality levels, poverty, and high
unemployment in South Africa and
neighbouring countries, make illegal
mining a reasonable option to escape
the poverty circumstances that many
Africans and South Africans are faced
with daily. Another major challenge
against illegal mining is the number
of derelict, abandoned, and ownerless
mines. Lutchman highlighted the fact
that such mines lacked the necessary
security, making it easy for illegal miners
to gain unauthorised access and continue
to perform their illegal mining activities.
[24] MINING MIRROR OCTOBER 2018
According to the Minerals Council,
law enforcement agencies were not well
equipped to deal with illegal mining.
These included police, immigration,
border controls, and prosecuting
authorities, posing another challenge.
Solutions going forward
One of the debates regarding illegal
mining is the possibility of legalising
illegal mining where mine companies
perhaps collaborate with illegal miners.
Lutchman is however doubtful of seeing
this happen, unless there is a “well
defined set of rules”.
In his study, Mkhize eludes to the
need for sustainable employment that
will improve the livelihoods of illegal
miners. “Creating jobs for low-skilled
workers in formal ASM (artisanal and
small-scale mining) and rural areas
would dissuade illegal activities,” Mkhize
writes. He also adds that without
empowerment projects to alleviate
poverty, the mining sector will achieve
minimal progress.
Collaboration from key stakeholders
is also essential if there is to be any
success in getting a grip on illegal
mining. One of the recommendations
highlighted by the Minerals Council
is a collaborative effort — through the
standing committee on security — by
mining houses, the DMR, and the
SAPS. Since illegal mining is not an
exclusive problem to South Africa alone,
Mkhize’s paper suggests that perhaps a
regional cooperation network might be
needed in the sub-Saharan region, as a
way of understanding the push and pull
factors of illegal mining. “For instance,
South African companies and authorities
may need to invest in the economies
of neighbouring states to provide
alternatives to IAM (illegal artisanal
mining) and related migration,”
Mkhize writes.
Regardless of whether illegal miners
are regarded as criminals, or as desperate
citizens trying to make ends meet, an
urgent and effective solution is required,
and success can only be achieved
through collaboration from key industry
stakeholders. Lutchman highlighted,
“Without reform, governance, a strict
set of rules, monitoring and control, this
activity will neither create entrepreneurs
nor stimulate economic growth.” b